Trust may be set up to ‘stabilise’ Royston museum

By Ewan Foskett Saturday, June 30, 2012
12:48 PM

A TRUST may be set up to “stabilise” the management of the Royston and District Museum and to cut council costs.

Royston Town Council currently runs the site and spends around £80,000 a year on the Lower King Street site. If a trust is set up, business rates will be slashed by 80 per cent and grants could be sought from charities.

Councillor Bob Smith, leader of the authority, said: “We have been looking at it for a little while to improve the management of the museum and to take advantage of any financial streams or benefits that are available.

“It would help stabilise the management of the museum as at the moment it’s managed by 15 councillors who are due for re-election every four years.

“If members are not supportive of the museum it can become impossible for the management of the museum. We thought a trust would help take it out of the four year cycle problem.”

The council’s plans were revealed at a meeting of the finance committee on Monday after councillors announced the museum working party would visit museums run by trusts to gather information.

No one from the museum was available to comment at the time of going to press.