| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Proposed closure of Wandsworth Museum | |
| Posted by: | Roland Gilmore | |
| Date/Time: | 11/03/07 08:35:00 |
| Martin; As architect of this scheme, Cllr. Grimston positioned himself in the firing line and must expect to be shot at. I make no apology for anything I've said even if he perceives those things as "vicious" when they are mainly expressions of frustration with his intransigence. He protesteth too much! To suggest that his proposal was "just to save money" is rediculous. We now know that he intends not to save money but to asset strip the Borough. Incidentally, did you know that the council subsidy for a borough resident to be an audience member at BAC ammounts to £29.06 by using the same analogy of Cllr. Grimston's cost per visit to the museum. He is prepared to negotiate with BAC but not with defenders of Wandsworth Museum. Why this uneven handedness Martin? If answered honestly, your question about employee numbers would only go to demonstrate how Cllr. Grimston has exaggerated costs to justify his policy. I believe that by presenting guesses and budgets as fact, he has misled decision makers. I read no rider to his £18 claim that the figure was dependant on some abstract idea of staff attendances; did you?. I therefore hold by the accusation that intentionally (or to be kind, unintentionally) he has misled us all in persuit of his agenda. On the specific issue of building repairs. Cllr Grimston now confirms that the £36,580 he added to museum "costs" is a budget that may or may not be spent. That sounds like cooking the books to me. Not only that but if the building became a library, by his reasoning, that cost would transfer to that library and would therefore not be a saving at all. The largest "cost" by far is staff. Included in Cllr. Grimston's reckoning (£320,000) there is a full time "building manager" for the library. What a rediculous notion that such a tiny building would require the services of a full time manager! Who's idea was that? Cedric, with your knowledge of museum services, could you please propose a reasonable level of staffing since I suspect that the staffing levels claimed in Cllr. Grimston's "costs" exceed what is actually required for the museum to function effectively. If the intention is "just to save money", then let's have a positive discussion about saving money and saving the museum. (He has still not answered so many questions such as the cost of non-statutory translation services.) Cllr. Grimston is reported as saying that he would resign if his policy is not adopted. I say to Wandsworth Conservatives and The Conservative Party; Dump the Chump! It is people with attitudes like him that are stopping the party from advancing into David Cameron's new vision for Conservatism; Engaging with the electorate to find mutually beneficial solutions to problems is the way forward and not by ultimatum to satisfy one politician's vanity. |