A storm is brewing over proposals to hand control of Norfolk's museums to a charitable trust.
Support for Norfolk museums trust plan
By DAN GRIMMER
Public affairs correspondent
Monday, January 9, 2012
8:00 AM
Proposals to hand over control of running Norfolk’s museums to a charitable trust have won the backing of an organisation which aims to make councils more efficient.
Norfolk County Council is considering the future of the museum service, which is currently jointly run by the county and district councils.
The county council commissioned legal firm Winckworth Sherwood to explore the future of the service and the consultants have suggested a charitable trust running museums could shield them from council cuts.
They said trust status would mean museums could look for new sources of funding not available through the current set-up. The buildings would still belong to councils, but would be leased at a peppercorn rent.
However, George Nobbs, leader of the Labour group at County Hall, has vociferously opposed such a move, fearing a loss of accountability.
But Cecilia Tredget, director of Improvement East, said: “The economic reality is that councils have to provide services with significantly reduced funding and resources.
“The proposal for the Norfolk Museums Service is a very creative solution which should provide better value for money and a more sustainable future for the service.”
Members of the Norfolk Joint Museums and Archaeology Committee, made up of county, city and district councillors will discuss the report and its recommendation when it meets this Friday.
The report which will come before them says options open to the committee are to boot out the trust idea, to request further information into the financial benefits of it or to request further information about setting up a county council-owned arms length company to better exploit commercial opportunities associated with the service.
Members of the Norwich Area Museums Committee will also have their say at a meeting at City Hall tomorrow.
dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk
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5 comments
"Cecilia Tredget, director of Improvement East ...". Who arewhat is Improvement East, and what role do they have in making this decision?
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Trevor Ashwin
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
What a surprise. The consultants have come up with what the ConDems wanted to hear.
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marty r
Monday, January 9, 2012
But it is not just the buildings- it is the archaeology unit and the collections. What happens when the trusts and the curators decide to shift the emphasis of what is in our museums to their pet projects? We have already seen the castle messed about to cater to school parties and kids who need to open their eyes and shut their mouths instead of being indulged with play spaces and crayons. What goes next-Ted Ellis's dioramas to make room for a themed playroom? The only place in Norwich which showed the history of how Norwich people worked in the past has been shut for ages, Gressenhall needs a sharp tug on the reins and a talk to people who can remember pre WW2 days to bring a bit of reality back to some of their rural life exhibits-getting a bit fanciful and theme parky last time I looked.
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Daisy Roots
Monday, January 9, 2012
Historic education should be FREE !
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Stop Press
Monday, January 9, 2012
Yet another "commitee" proposed with more passing the buck and still the Bridewell Museum remains closed !
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Albert Cooper
Monday, January 9, 2012