Museum Meeting To Consider Collections Sell Off To Pay For Frontline Services

Councillors will meet on Wednesday to pencil in a meeting for May next year to consider selling off collections from the museum to pay for frontline services.

The work plan states that next year a meeting will be held at Wrexham Museum on May 5th “To consider the possibilities and practicalities of disposing of collections to generate income to maintain frontline services” under the title of “Museums Collection.”

The meeting is due to consider:

• Amount of stock currently held in storage (percentage of total stock)
• Details of stock previously sold and income received.
• Wrexham Museum’s Acquisition and Disposal Policy.
• The Museum Association’s Code of Ethics

In June we took a look at the Council’s accounts, which mentioned that ‘heritage assets’ for example at the museum have increased in book value by £1000 , with the Civic Regalia being valued at £86k. It is worth noting that in reality it is potentially priceless, as there is no other regalia collection with the historic connections of the town’s own set.

At the time we were told that these so-called assets of the Council are infact objects that have been donated by the members of the local community who want to preserve Wrexham’s rich heritage and who see their museum as a custodian who will care for these artefacts on behalf of the community in perpetuity.

There is no further detail on the work programme note to the extent to what, if any, items would be considered for selling off.

It is however worth noting that some of the more publicly seen items such as The Mace and items on the mayoral chain were gifts to the Council, with the dragons on the chain given by the Royal Welch Fusiliers. The Council’s website has pictures and details of some of these items here.

As is normal with such committees a forward work programme is created, to plot out the work that is ahead for the next twelve months. The plan is a ‘live’ document, so things can be added, removed and brought forward – or removed entirely – at short notice.

Therefore Councillors may on Wednesday amend the agenda item regarding consideration of selling off collections.

The report does state that the aim is to consider and agree the programme, so it is possible that certain elements are not agreed with and removed from the work plan.

Other items on the plan include a site visit to the aqueduct be held prior to revised proposed policy for charging for coach and car parking at the site.

November will see scrutiny into ‘existing employment sites and sites put forward for inclusion in LDP2 i.e. strategically placed land available for commercial development close to the most populous areas of the County.’ under the title ‘Land for commercial development’.

Another that Wrexham.com readers will likely be noting is the recommendations on Town Centre Management and town centre improvements to be fed back via a report on 7th January 2015.