Following yesterday’s government announcement on the spending review the SW Fed have collated a selection of reports on the announcement on how it might be potentially affecting those in the heritage sector.

Headlines

Comments

Mark Taylor, Director of Museums Association

"It is vital that all the elements of regional support, including Renaissance funding, Designation and Accreditation, along with MLA's strategic role, are kept in the same place, and that place should be Arts Council England," he said.

There is so much to sort out in terms of MLA functions, and the sector needs to know soon. We will continue to lobby hard on the sector's behalf.

Local authority museums in England have every reason to be fearful. It is a huge cut for local authorities, and history suggests that they will go for soft targets.

Renaissance is a relatively minor, albeit important, percentage of funding for regional museums, and local authorities also provide some funding for independents.

Only a small number of museums get Renaissance funding directly. A lot of district and non-hub museums will be under threat because of these cuts."

Vanessa Trevelyan, President of Museums Association

MA president Vanessa Trevelyan said she thought the 15% cuts over the next four years to Renaissance in the Regions and national museum budgets were not as bad as anticipated, but warned that regional museums would feel the brunt of the 7.1% year on year cuts to local authority budgets.

"Cuts are never welcome, but given the suggestions of what might have been coming, 15% is actually a relief. Museums have done a good job of demonstrating the value of what we do.

However, we are worried that although the government is seeking to cut bureaucracy and administrative costs, the extent of these cuts - 41% at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and 50% at Arts Council England - shows a lack of understanding of what administration is.

We are also very concerned that local authority budgets are also being cut by slightly more than was expected. This is where core funding for many museums comes from. While central government is clearly trying to protect front line services, local authorities have to make their own decisions and might not follow the same formula.

This means that although Renaissance is being protected, the base budgets that underpin Renaissance look to be under threat. .There will be a lot of pain still to come, but the positive message is that central government does appear to want to support culture."

Roy Clare, chief executive of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council

“It is a day filled with difficult news, but people who value museum services will take quiet satisfaction that the Renaissance programme is to be renewed, and at a level that can maintain improvement and development in museums across England.

But we need to look carefully at the local government funding position. Councils are left with really tough decisions that could leave museum, library and archives services extremely vulnerable. We believe that the government’s commitment to Renaissance funds is now a strong challenge and provides a powerful incentive to local authorities and other local funders.

Each place across England needs to keep up local investment in museums and other cultural provision. This is a moment for taking a long term view about remodelling services around changing public needs. In today’s figures for Renaissance there is no case whatever for crude cuts and closures.”

Bill Ferris, chairman of the Association of Independent Museums

"Anyone whose running costs are covered by visitor income should be worried. The effect of the CSR on people's ability to go out is of concern, particularly as it is combined with a reduction in tourism budgets and local authority budgets.

Some of our members will have service level agreements with local authorities, and these will be in doubt. It is going to be a tough time and I think we will see local authority and independent museums going out of business."

Baroness Andrews, chair of English Heritage

"We understand we must play our part in reducing the deficit along with the entire public sector. However, it is most disappointing that English Heritage's grant from government will be cut by 32%, considerably more than the DCMS's overall cut of 25%.

We will do all we can to protect those front-line services which people tell us they value most, such as the expert advice we give to local authorities within the planning system.   Heritage is not only about places we visit - stately homes, grand castles and cathedrals. It is about where we live, and our everyday quality of life. Most of our heritage is cared for through the commitment of dedicated individuals all over the country but public funding is vital to support them and ensure that our heritage remains for future generations to enjoy.

The 32% cut to English Heritage's grant from government will be exceptionally challenging to manage after years of funding decline - £130 million real-term cuts over 13 years.  It will require us to make some tough decisions.  We will work with the Heritage Lottery Fund to ensure there is no overlap or duplication in the services we provide.  We are proud that we generate over 25% of our income from commercial activities and we shall also look at ways to increase this amount to help us look after the collection of over 400 historic sites and properties which we care for on behalf of the nation. 

We are pleased that the Listed Places of Worship Scheme will continue, albeit reduced, providing support for the congregations caring for historic places of worship and we will work hard over the coming months to minimise the impact on heritage of cuts to other sources of public funding.   

We will make a further announcement following the meeting of our Commissioners on 27 October."

Newspapers

• Telegraph: Council tax frozen from April but museums and libraries under threat
• Sky News: Arts Council Reeling After Budget Slashed
• Telegraph: Culture cuts could mean final curtain for regional arts
• Reuters: British museums escape the worst in spending review
• Guardian: Relief for museums but Arts Council faces 'dismaying' 30% cut

DCMS Enquiry Results

You may remember a few months back organisations were urged to supply evidence to the DCMS enquiry on the future funding of the arts and heritage sector. The written evidence sent to the Committee has just been published on-line and can be viewed here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmcumeds/writev/464/contents.htm.
 
224 organisations submitted evidence, some of which were from community museums and heritage organisations in the southwest. You can read what the following organisations submitted by going to the above link and finding the following by their (Arts #) number:

• Arts Development Officer for Gloucestershire County Council (Arts 213)
• Association of Independent Museums (AIM) (Arts 114)
• Board of the South Western Federation of Museums & Art Galleries (SWFMAG) (Arts 207)
• Chard and District Museum (Arts 103)
• Crewkerne & District Museum & Heritage Centre (Arts 221)
• Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) (Arts 85)
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) (Arts 210)
• Dorset County Council, with contributions from Dorset Strategic Partnership Culture Theme Group (Arts 180)
• English Heritage (Arts 74)
• Exeter City Council (Arts 62)
• Fiona Macalister (Arts 96)
• Museum of South Somerset (Arts 59)
• Museums Association (Arts 126)
• Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) (Arts 98)
• Natalie Watson (Arts 167)
• National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) (Arts 192)
• National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) (Arts 16)
• National Trust (Arts 48)
• Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) (Arts 123)
• Renaissance in the Regions (South West) (Arts 177)
• Renaissance South West (Arts 155)
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) (Arts 63)
• Sherborne House Trust (Arts 40)
• The Blake Museum (Arts 159)
• The Heritage Alliance (Arts 76)
• The Royal Institution of Cornwall (Arts 101)

As the real impacts of yestersday’s announcements become clear the SW Fed will endevour to keep you updated.