Howarth Art gallery - Page 6

Retlaw · 03-03-2010, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

I agree fully with what you are saying, Walter - the likes of Britcliffe and his ilk have no right whatsoever to flog off the family silver. The underlying question that I have is "How do we fully utilise this asset to the town?". Lets face it - over recent years there has been little publicity given to this jewel and little investment made in order to develope it's full potential. That is why I asked the question about a database, made available to filmmakers.

Trouble is although the curator does do a lot of exhibitions and runs workshops for school projects, there is now no local paper to advertise the events in, even having leaflets printed doesn't seem to have any real effect, when was the last time any one saw a leaflet for the Haworth, or a notice in the fish and chip wrapper laughingly known as the Accrington Observer.

Retlaw.

g jones · 03-03-2010, 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

I'd just like to point out that although I've publicly thanked one of my counciilors, Cllr. Britcliffe, for help given, I'm not the Hyndburn sensual hassler.

It should have said (I think) serial hassler????!!!!

What I know. Hyndburn Council has always been under financial pressure and the Art Gallery budget is £300k IIRC. (Deep grey cells at work)

About 4 years ago (Tory) HBC approached (Lab) LCC to investigate 'possibilities'. LCC have a big portfolio of museums etc.. (and are more capable).

Nothing came of it but it was never 'put to bed'.

HBC's finances are a cause for concern. The mismanagement has been massaged by Government handouts which are being withdrawn.

I remember speaking to my predecessor Jean Battle who was a County Councillor who told me of HBC's view. County would be able to better manage and increase the budget of Haworth Art Gallery providing people with a better facility. There was talk of just transferring the management and not the building.

I have no idea what has happened in the last two years. More of the same?

Tealeaf · 03-03-2010, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones

It should have said (I think) serial hassler????!!!!

About 4 years ago (Tory) HBC approached (Lab) LCC to investigate 'possibilities'. LCC have a big portfolio of museums etc.. (and are more capable).

I remember speaking to my predecessor Jean Battle who was a County Councillor who told me of HBC's view. County would be able to better manage and increase the budget of Haworth Art Gallery providing people with a better facility. There was talk of just transferring the management and not the building.

I have no idea what has happened in the last two years. More of the same?

Would this be the same Labour controlled County Council, who about 4 years ago, despite superior financial resources for arts and libraries, managed to shut down Church Library?

Retlaw · 03-03-2010, 23:38

What I know. Hyndburn Council has always been under financial pressure and the Art Gallery budget is £300k IIRC. (Deep grey cells at work)

About 4 years ago (Tory) HBC approached (Lab) LCC to investigate 'possibilities'. LCC have a big portfolio of museums etc.. (and are more capable).
Thats just it more capable at what, they would soon find an excuse to tranfer all the contents to somewhere Preston way and come with a load of barnyard confetti to justify it. Retlaw.
Nothing came of it but it was never 'put to bed'.

HBC's finances are a cause for concern. The mismanagement has been massaged by Government handouts which are being withdrawn.

I remember speaking to my predecessor Jean Battle who was a County Councillor who told me of HBC's view. County would be able to better manage and increase the budget of Haworth Art Gallery providing people with a better facility. O yes for how long, another load of bull. Retlaw.
There was talk of just transferring the management and not the building.

I have no idea what has happened in the last two years. More of the same?[/quote]
Lets just hope its never brought up again, the Haworth belongs to the people of Accrington, its not up to the council to decide where the contents should be housed or who runs it, County has a long history of neglect, look at what they did with Accrington Fire Station, and how they ever come to own that beats me, something happened in 1948 which has never been made clear to me.
Retlaw.

g jones · 03-03-2010, 23:38

Yes.

Library usage apparently was in serious decline. Other options were put forward (internet library?) but no one would carry the financial can.

g jones · 03-03-2010, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

What I know. Hyndburn Council has always been under financial pressure and the Art Gallery budget is £300k IIRC. (Deep grey cells at work)

About 4 years ago (Tory) HBC approached (Lab) LCC to investigate 'possibilities'. LCC have a big portfolio of museums etc.. (and are more capable).
Thats just it more capable at what, they would soon find an excuse to tranfer all the contents to somewhere Preston way and come with a load of barnyard confetti to justify it. Retlaw.
Nothing came of it but it was never 'put to bed'.

HBC's finances are a cause for concern. The mismanagement has been massaged by Government handouts which are being withdrawn.

I remember speaking to my predecessor Jean Battle who was a County Councillor who told me of HBC's view. County would be able to better manage and increase the budget of Haworth Art Gallery providing people with a better facility. O yes for how long, another load of bull. Retlaw.
There was talk of just transferring the management and not the building.

I have no idea what has happened in the last two years. More of the same?

Lets just hope its never brought up again, the Haworth belongs to the people of Accrington, its not up to the council to decide where the contents should be housed or who runs it, County has a long history of neglect, look at what they did with Accrington Fire Station, and how they ever come to own that beats me, something happened in 1948 which has never been made clear to me.
Retlaw.[/QUOTE]

I perhaps didn't emphasis clearly. LCC did not approach HBC or push this idea. HBC pushed this idea and asked LCC to 'have a look at it'. HBC then got cold feet. LCC never said yes. However LCC did not want to see HAG go the dogs.

LCC's view if it was asked to step in was to enhance HAG, not take from it as HAG had great potential. This may have included refurbishing the still abandoned stables to expand HAG reputation, exhibitions to a wider audience.

In the end as I said, LCC had no ambitions to take it on and HBC pulled out after enquiring and LCC just left it at that.

Acrylic-bob · 04-03-2010, 04:02

Thanks for that clarification Graham, you have set my mind at rest a little. So there is no suggestion that Britcliffe's largesse over the civic theatre is bought at the expense of Haworth Art Gallery is there? Or that he might have proposed and backed the sale as a way of warming his seat at the top table in county hall??

Strange that the lovely Gayle seems to have gone silent on the matter. I wonder what that means??

Acrylic-bob · 04-03-2010, 16:34

Still no answer from Gayle.

Neil · 04-03-2010, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Would this be the same Labour controlled County Council, who about 4 years ago, despite superior financial resources for arts and libraries, managed to shut down Church Library?

We have debated this before and decided that it did not matter it closed as you are the last person from Church that can actually read and even you moved down south

MargaretR · 04-03-2010, 18:28

I used Church Library sometimes.
I searched the LCC library website for a particular book and often found they had it 'on shelf' when Ossy and Accy didn't, and I could park right outside the door when returning books (ideal on bad weather days)

garinda · 04-03-2010, 19:39

This shouldn't even be up for discussion.

Hopefully there's enough legal entanglements because of covenants etc, when it was gifted to the people of Accrington, for it's direct control ever to leave the town, and be transferred elsewhere.

g jones · 04-03-2010, 21:17

I do not know the current plan or thinking. I only know what was said under a Labour LCC. That's how we knew. Not because HBC informed Councillors.

Both are now Conservative and I am far from knowing what is happening now, though I have heard no rumours to suggest anything is happening.

Acrylic-bob · 05-03-2010, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones

I do not know the current plan or thinking. I only know what was said under a Labour LCC. That's how we knew. Not because HBC informed Councillors.

Both are now Conservative and I am far from knowing what is happening now, though I have heard no rumours to suggest anything is happening.

Given the level of concern expressed, and as you are a councillor and now PPC, as well as residing in the borough, would it be too much to ask you to make a few enquiries???? Please.

garinda · 07-03-2010, 17:08

If it does all end up in a dusty corner of Preston's Harris Museum, after control is sold to L.C.C., perhaps we should be following Yvonne's instruction, and busy ourselves making paper copies of the exhibits now, so we can at least remember what they look like.

Acrylic-bob · 07-03-2010, 18:48

Oh, so this is the creature who is responsible for all the mosaic abortions that litter the town, is it? So long as I know. If I were in charge of the Arts in Hyndburn she would be the first one paying a visit to the Job Centre.