| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Proposed closure of Wandsworth Museum | |
| Posted by: | Malcolm Grimston | |
| Date/Time: | 09/01/07 11:05:00 |
| This exactly illustrates my point - of course there will be consultation and doubtless a lot of good ideas will come forward which will help us get the best possible outcome, but we needed first to get to a position where there is something upon which to consult. The series of decisions will involve first the publication of our proposals - until then there is no detail on which to consult - then examination by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (at which I would expect we would take deputations of interested groups and individuals), then by the Executive. At every stage we can take into account public response, and judge those responses against the background of what we are trying to achieve, which is a solution to three problems - a little-used Museum (intersting how few people contributing to this strand knew about it) (though of course much-loved by the small number of people who in effect get paid £10 for every visit they make); a major Town Centre which now has great shopping facilities but no library; a government chopping £5 million from our grant but preventing us putting the Council tax up to compensate (not that we would want to if there was a better way). Keeping the Museum in anything like its current shape seems to me simply not an option, but we will keep the best of the artifacts and find ways of making them more accessible if we can, e.g. through the web, schools, other libraries including the new Wandsworth town one. A new library in the middle of Wandsworth, if it is feasible, might be unpopular with some people but there are many who will welcome it. |