Please remember that most of this report will be available on the Federation Website
on your ‘County’ pages. So please do write with this in mind. Any private issues for
the Committee only should be entered in last section named “Fed Eyes Only”
County Report for Wiltshire. September 2011. By: David Dawson
County Museum
Group
Has there been a meeting? What were main topics? Was
anything raised that should be brought to attention of Fed
Committee?
Wiltshire Council Museums Advisory Service to hold cluster meeting on September 19
Successes
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Any particular successes in county, including grant
applications, openings, awards, etc?
Salisbury Museum Constable exhibition has been hugely successful – with over
20,000 visitors so far
Wiltshire Heritage Museum – new Prehistoric Wiltshire book published by Amberly
Press – all proceeds helping to raise funds for new Prehistoric Gallery development
(http://www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk/shop/index.php?Action=3&pID=91&cat=32)
Wiltshire Heritage Museum hosted UNESCO Memory of the World Programme
international conference and launched second round of inscriptions to UK
Register (see http://www.unesco.org.uk/uk_memory_of_the_world_register)
Wiltshire Council Museums Advisory Service awarded funding to help improve
museum websites – result of study to improve marketing
Chippenham Museum likely to take on additional space following relocation of
Register Office
TV coverage – NT Avebury Manor – major Autumn series, Wiltshire Heritage
Museum – BBC 4 programme on David Inshaw
Wiltshire Heritage Museum has been loaned video-conferencing equipment –
and is now to offer VC sessions to complement existing schools programme
Problems
Council cuts resulting in closure of several TICs in the County. Wiltshire Heritage
Museum development of a new Devizes Area Tourism Partnership to provide an
alternative service for visitors, using existing buildings
 Kennet & Avon Canal Museum facing major problems with building owned by
Wiltshire Council which needs major repairs. Hoping to negotiate new lease
 Lackham Museum now closed to public, future is in discussion
Enter here any issues, topics or news for Federation
Fed Eyes Only
Committee only
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Wiltshire Heritage Museum has to pay pension fund deficit in excess of £220,000 –
result of coming out of local Council scheme at the wrong time. Have negotiated
for this to be paid at £20k pa over 20 years – including interest. Without Wiltshire
Council support, the sum would have been £440,000, which would have wiped
out our ‘endowment’. MLA were asked for advice, but none was forthcoming.
Museum already has an annual deficit of £50k.
Wiltshire Heritage Museum hit by change in charitable rate relief policy by Wiltshire
Council – were facing additional rates bill of over £4,000. Following behind the
scenes lobbying, Wiltshire Council agreed to increase grant to cover additional
bill (in live interview on local radio!). Issue has affected other museums in the
County. Clearly this was an unintended impact of the change in policy.