| Topic: | Re:Proposed closure of Wandsworth Museum | |
| Posted by: | Jonathan Callaway | |
| Date/Time: | 05/01/07 19:16:00 |
| For readers' information I have raised this matter with Edward Lister and received the following non-reply, which does at least tell us what the Council's problem is: " Dear Mr Callaway Thank you for your email. The Council is in a very tight financial position where it is not getting enough money from the Government to keep up with the rising costs of the services it is expected to provide. Next year our grant increase has been set at the lowest possible level (2.7%) which is well below the rate of inflation. In effect the Council is having to find an extra £5m every year just to keep services going at their existing level. This is the gap between the extra £3m grant we get from the Government and the extra £8m needed to keep up with inflation. Even if we raised the Council Tax by the full amount allowed by the Government, this would come nowhere near to bridging this gap. In these circumstances we are having to go through a painful exercise of examining all spending areas and looking for ways of ensuring that we can maintain funding for the most vital services on which people depend. Yours sincerely Councillor Edward Lister Leader of the Council " They might listen if enough people raise their voices, otherwise I fear this lovely little museum is indeed on its way out. |