The plans to shut local museums are certain to spark an angry backlash.
After all, people in Huddersfield and Dewsbury will argue: “They’re getting rid of our heritage.”
The Examiner has revealed that Huddersfield's historic Tolson Museum is in line to be closed.
Kirklees Council is to ask for people’s views on the future of its museums and galleries but is considering shutting three of them: Tolson Museum, Dewsbury Museum and Red House Museum.
Huddersfield Art Gallery is also earmarked for closure but a new plan is to merge it with Tolson in an as yet undecided town centre location.
Adele Poppleton is the officer in charges of the Kirklees Museums service as the Head of Active and Creative Communities at Kirklees Council.
Here she answers questions over the plans.
Q: Is there no way round the closure plan?
A: Unfortunately there is no alternative. Museums and Galleries have, since 2011, lost £350,000 from the budget. We have looked at cutting opening hours, bringing in ticket prices, but have got to the stage now where the only option is to reduce the number of sites.
Q: Are thse proposals set in stone?
A: No there is a lot more work to be done and the council is looking at the consultation to see what the public think.
Q: What are some of the major problems?
A: Our museums are in large, old buildings and there is a great deal of money required to keep them open and safe to the public. Old buildings are very costly to run and often it can be more viable to move into a new building. The idea for a new Huddersfield Museum and Art Gallery would draw people into the town centre and would also allow us to seek grants from other bodies.
Q: What will be the effect on staffing?
A: The current Museums and Galleries section has 35 full-time equivalent jobs, although there are more because many work part-time. I am not in a position to discuss what may happen to the jobs.
Q: Why can't the council sell off the treasures and artworks to keep open the museums?
A: It is not as simple aas that. Many of the pieces and collections we have are not ours and are loaned to the museums service, which meant if we sold it the money would go to the owners. I believe a healthy museum is one that is well-visited and offers what customers want, hence the need to change collections. We will look at our collections and will perhaps look at offering things to other museums or to universities for research if they do not fit in with telling the Kirklees story. Only as a last resort, if an item was damaged beyond repair, would it be thrown away.
Q: Does the idea of shutting museums make you sad?
A: Part of me is sad as I want the collections we have to be available to the people of Kirklees. But equally I think there is an exciting opportunity to create something new in Huddersfield which will bring the art gallery and museum into the 21st century.
