Museums Northumberland set to be brought in-house amid financial pressures

Staff are to be carried over from the existing organisation

Pressure on Northumberland County Council budgets means the county's museums services are set to be taken in house.

The council's cabinet is due to take a decision on the future of some of Northumberland's key cultural assets on Tuesday. It is expected that Museums Northumberland, which operates sites including Woodhorn Museum in Ashington and the Old Gaol in Hexham, will be taken in-house, with the council entering a "shared services arrangement" alongside Tyne and Wear Museums (TWAM).

TWAM has operated museums services in Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside since 1986. A report set to be presented to cabinet on Tuesday states the council is "seeking to make savings in a number of areas" due to pressures on adults social care and children's services budget.

A review conducted earlier this year recommended the in-house approach as the most financially sound option. The report adds the inclusion of Northumberland's cultural assets within TWAN would be "mutually beneficial" and "would add value and expand the regional museums offer".

The Conservative leader of the council, Glen Sanderson, explained how the move would save the council money.

He said: "This will save money because we think we will get a wider service that will encourage more people to come and visit our museums. That way we will save money per head of population.

"The more people that come, the better for us. We need to make sure every penny we spend is being picked up - and enjoyed - by as many people as possible."

Coun Sanderson also confirmed staff working for Museums Northumberland would be transferred to the new model.

He added: "At the end of the day what we have to look for is who is going to produce the best service and the best value for money. This process has been going on for about a year to make sure that all the key important things were considered.

"Museums are very important and so to that end it is really important that we make sure we get the best possible offer for Northumberland. Staff will be transferred across - what happens after that is down to the new operator.

"There's not very much you can find to oppose something that amounts to ensuring the best possible offer and the best possible offer as long as jobs are protected. Those are the key ingredients."

Coun Liz Dunn, Northumberland Labour's shadow cabinet member with responsibility for culture, said she was supportive of the plans but that she and her party would be keeping a "close eye" on how things operated under the new system.

She said: "This has been ongoing for a while. The review of the delivery model has come against a background of growing pressure on the administration.

"There is a lot of budgetary pressures on statutory services. We can understand where the Conservatives are coming from, but the main thing is we have to protect Woodhorn and the other heritage assets that we have got.

"We need a sustainable way forward. If this is it we have got to watch it carefully. There's always disappointment when something changes - unfortunately this is where we have ended up.

"We have got to protect our museums going forward. Woodhorn is a massive asset - it is a jewel in the crown for the south east of the county.

"I have been assured that staff will be transferred over. They have been spoken to and there has been an assurance of the process."

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