Glass Mall > Glass News

Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...

(1/13) > >>

Anne:
Our earlier topic about the proposed closure of the museum has spanned 433 posts over a vast number of pages, but now seems the time to lock the "... to close" topic and start a new one with ideas of how to move the campaign forward.

A couple of recent stories in the Stourbridge News:
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4785001.Fears_for_consultation_on_glass_heritage_future/ and
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4787979.Glass_row_heats_up_after_Cabinet_vote/ outlines both the fears of the campaigners that Dudley has made up its collective mind regardless of the feasibility study results, and what happened at the last Dudley MBC meeting on 9 December.

Cllr Lowe said: “The meeting had more council officers than elected representatives or community groups, at the moment the council leadership is listening to officers more than the community.”

In a report for the cabinet meeting, council officers are recommending the next stage of the study should focus on developing detailed proposals and costings for moving the collection to the Cone after the successful purchase of the Stuart Crystal buildings.

As this sounds like a done deal, some of the points which need to be raised both in the media and with the council are:

The Council needs to listen to local opinion, to the Friends of BH, and to all interested parties wherever they may be. They need to involve the glass community in any steps they take for the collections and archives.

Where is Dudley MBC's councillors' commitment and authority in this? Is the cabinet going to let council officers and bean-counters who do not care about collections decide on their future?

Does Dudley MBC honestly realise just how important these collections really are?

It's time we as glassies put pen to paper or finger to keyboard once more and added our views again by writing to Bev Holder at the Stourbridge News and to the Editor at the Express and Star to express how we feel about the way that DMBC are handling this. Do we want the glass collection to be moved to the site being pushed by council officers or do we want Dudley MBC to really think outside the box and give the collection the housing it deserves?

http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/contactus/
http://www.expressandstar.com/about-us/contact-us/

Anne:
Also, write to anyone else you can think of. Letters to the national dailies are great as it raises the profile of the whole campaign and makes local councillors aware that the eyes of the whole country are upon them!

Forthcoming elections are also a great way to focus the mind of elected representatives!

To find the website and contacts of your favourite / targeted newspaper, national or local, this site is useful:
http://dailynewspaper.co.uk/ 8)

keith:
There was a front page article in todays 'Black Country Mail' by Steve Bradley,Thursday,31st Dec'
      According to coun' Jones they had abandoned the idea of seeking funds for a new facility because of a likely £7 million plus bill,he also said the move to Red House Cone would go ahead as long as they could afford the projected cost of up to £5 million and that "it is our intention to relocate to 'the cone' but we don't know yet whether it is viable" and in relation to creating a new museum he said "I'm sorry,we haven't got that kind of money."
       Thought I should post this,Keith.

aa:
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/local/4841069.Campaigners_to_continue_fight/

Well done Jan! Keep up the good work!  :)

Will F:
Greetings all,
First may I will introduce myself, I am the newly elected Chairman of the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers, and I also run my own scientific glassblowing company and have been involve in our "community" since 1973.
Broadfield House has a special place in my life and that's because we all know that IT is a special place.
I have been in communication with Janet Hendry for a few months now, ever since we met at the meeting when the Local Council called a public meeting to "show" the public the options.... Those options were extremly biased in favour of a total closure of the museum, I voiced my opinion to exclaim my shock and horror at a ludicrus expense in terms of public funds and a crazy idea to shut the existing museum.... The public and the press were behind this and for all the work that Janet had done to highlight the madness, the Council then put out a public statement to say that a U turn has been taken and the Museum was safe.
It now looks like the Council were telling untruths and that a decision MUST have taken place in camera and I think that those minutes of that meeting should be made public
I would like to express my thanks to Janet for the work that she has done to keep "OUR" glass collection safe. I believe that Janet has an article that will be publised in our (BSSG) Journal and I will be making sure that I will be following up on this story. I will be writing to the MP of that District to explain what is going on when the local authority is making and taking liberties with local public funds and a National Treasure..... rant over !
I whole heartily give my personal 100% support to Janet's work and I will be expessing my feelings to other "Official" glass societies and companies.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page