Decision Maker: Mid Suffolk Cabinet, Mid Suffolk Council

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: July 8, 2025

Purpose: To approve large-scale capital grant for The Food Museum

Content: It was RESOLVED: -   That Cabinet:   1.1          Agreed to use the £1m set aside for the Food Museum in the Council’s Capital Ambition Reserve for a grant to match fund the £3.950m requested from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Branching Out Project.   1.2          Supported the underwriting of up to £533k, to be provided in the form of a loan to the Food Museum for the Branching Out Project, to be drawn down in future years, only if required, to cover outstanding fundraising for the project.   1.3          Subject to 1.2 above, recommend to Council that provision is made in the Mid Suffolk Finance Resilience Reserve for a loan of up to £533k to the Food Museum in the event that it is required for the Branching Out Project.   1.4          Agrees to delegate to the Director of Place in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture & Wellbeing to finalise the grant agreement and, subject to Council’s decision, the loan agreement between the Council and the Food Museum.   REASON FOR DECISION   To ensure the successful delivery of the Branching Out project and to secure significant investment from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a major capital project at one of Mid Suffolk’s most significant tourism and cultural attractions. Without this funding the transformative capital building works will not be delivered, and the Food Museum will be unable to progress the Branching Out project and achieve the stretch targets in their business plan.   Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:   Option One: Provide no financial support to the Food Museum for this major capital project. This option is not recommended because the National Lottery Heritage Fund requires significant match funding and this is not available from any other source at this time. Option Two: Provide £1m grant to the Food Museum as match funding for their bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £3.950m to deliver the Branching Out Project.    This option is not recommended on its own. While this option provides the required level of match funding without the additional support referenced in Option Three there would still be a delay of at least a year before the project could commence.    Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None Any Dispensation Granted: None