| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Proposed closure of Wandsworth Museum | |
| Posted by: | Valerie Bott | |
| Date/Time: | 14/03/07 09:27:00 |
| I just want to pick up Cllr Grimston's comment in his message on 12.03 that the BAC was "a trustworthy negotiating partner". Not only does this imply that the Museum supporters are somehow UNtrustworthy but it points up a serious problem. The BAC was able to negotiate because it is an independent body which receives some council funding. The Museum is completely different - it has no independence, as it is wholly run by the local authority. This body cannot negotiate with itself and its employees, who have devoted many years to developing the collections, ensuring their preservation and providing appropriate services, were never in a position to campaign against this proposal. However, as the council is supposed to represent the local community the very least it could do is to listen to their views. In over 30 years working for museums, 20 of them for London Borough museums I have never seen a local authority treat its people's history in quite such a cavalier fashion, or fail to listen when people say they want to find a way to become more involved in preserving it. This is not about numbers through the door - it is about a threat to the local studies and archives collections and the museum collections which will be left with two staff and inadequate resources to provide a service which every borough needs to have available - Wandsworth has seemed to understand this in the past and has invested to do it to a quality which others have admired. What has changed is the arrival of Mr Grimston in his curretn role where he seems to be acting in complete ignorance of how museums and archives work, and without any real understanding of the potential value of such holdings as a resource. This is not just educational but, for example, provides archaeological and map evidence needed by site developers, whether domestic or commercial, contributes to legal matters like adoptees tracing their birth parents, enables newcomers to the borough to find new roots and old established residents to share and celebrate their own contributions with younger generations. This is not a short-term attraction which needs just to count current users - preserving a community's heritage is a long-term investment in resources which need cherishing for the benefit of all Wandsworth residents. To do otherwise shows how little regard Wandsworth councillors have for their voters and their families. |