Council to transfer management of museum to new trust (From Bucks Free Press)

Council to transfer management of museum to new trust

4:51pm Friday 11th January 2013 in News By Simon Farr

WYCOMBE Museum is about to start a new chapter in its history as a council prepares to transfer its management to a specially created trust.

The Heritage and Arts Trust will take over the day-to-day running of the museum from Wycombe District Council in 2015/16.

This will coincide with the museum’s relocation from its current Priory Avenue base to a purpose-built gallery at the council’s Queen Victoria Road headquarters.

The hunt is now on for 11 trustees to review the plans and ensure the move goes smoothly, before taking the keys for the soon-to-be-built complex.

The trust will also be asked to have a say in a forthcoming public consultation into what sort of service the museum should provide to the district over the next 20 years.

The museum secured a £78,000 development fund from the Heritage Lottery Fund last year, and WDC has agreed to provide match funding towards detailed project planning for the development.

The authority will also continue to financially support the museum – which will have more opportunities to secure future grants, donations and have more flexibility in generating other funding by acting as a trust.

WDC’s Cabinet member for Community Services, Cllr Katrina Wood, said the move would "create a new dynamic museum for local people that will benefit tourism and the community for years to come."

Visit www.wycombe.gov.uk/museum, call 01494 421 895, or email richard.depeyer@wycombe.gov.uk for more information about becoming a trustee.