Award-winning museum threatened by council's office move

The authority was accused of asset stripping when it opted to dispose of 33 Frenchgate on the open market.

The resources committee agreed to allow the Richmondshire Museum first refusal when the property went on the market, but the volunteers who run the attraction would struggle to raise sufficient cash.

The museum, which won the Gulbenkian prize for the best disabled-accessible small museum in the UK, has had the use of two storage rooms at 33 Frenchgate since 1980 and another since 1991.

The impending sale ruins plans for the museum to expand into the building, which would accommodate a curator's office, conservation workshop, archive and a gallery for touring national exhibitions.

The sale also threatens plans for a young archaeology club for Richmondshire and means the museum must turn down a request to be the repository for all future archaeological finds in the area.

The committee designated the building surplus to requirements when the town's new community office opens in Dundas Street next year. Staff from Frenchgate House would transfer there, leaving sufficient office space for the accountancy team to relocate from 33 Frenchgate.

An officers' report to the meeting on Tuesday said the council was compelled by the Government to review its assets and it had a duty to council tax payers to maximise those assets.

Coun John Blackie, council leader, praised the achievements of the museum, opened in 1978, and the efforts of its volunteers. However, he said, the council needed to sell its surplus buildings to fund the proposed move of its headquarters to purpose-built premises at Colburn.

Council staff worked in five out-dated and shabby buildings across Richmond and deserved better conditions. The move to Colburn was one of the council's stated priorities.

There was no threat to the museum itself, which was leased until 2077, he added. The committee agreed officers should begin discussions with the museum about the storage rooms.

Coun Blackie claimed the council had been a major contributor to the museum, both in cash and in kind, over the last ten years - a claim hotly disputed by the museum trustees.

Harry Tabiner, council chief executive, said the authority had been criticised in the past for failing to stick to its priorities and the conditions in which some staff worked had been described by the Audit Commission as detrimental to the authority.

Coun Jane Parlour accused the authority of asset stripping and wanted a decision deferred. "It is easy to sell off the family silver and cash in assets but more difficult to enhance and maintain those assets to benefit the residents of Richmondshire," she said.

Coun Linda Curran said the people of Richmondshire should be allowed the chance to help bring about the museum expansion.

The public had shown overwhelming support when Richmond's station building, Westfields and Thornborough Hall were to be sold by the district council.

After the meeting, Mike Wood, museum chairman, said the museum had received no major funding from the council in the last decade. Trustees had also contributed to the cost of the authority employing a museums officer for the district.

"The last thing we want is conflict with the council," said Mr Wood. "We are all volunteers and we do this purely because we love the heritage of Richmond and want to protect it and put something back."

While the likely value of the building was not disclosed at the meeting, he suspected it could be more than £100,000.

"We just don't have that sort of money," said Mr Wood. "We will have a committee meeting to decide whether we can even think about taking up the offer of first refusal. If not, we will have to shelve all our plans to expand and develop the museum."

The council's decision was a great blow to the morale and enthusiasm of the volunteers who ran the museum, he added.