On 18 April, Waltham Forest Council released the attached briefing about the future of William Morris Gallery, the document was designed to answer residents and supporters questions about the future of the gallery. It included details of the extra money the council has ‘found’ to put into the gallery, it also answered questions about the expensive Blue Badge guides whom you pay to give you a tour of the gallery.
Unfortunately, the document has raised more questions than it’s answered, glossing over some very important issues and rendering itself council spin. Any questions you have should be address to Clive Morton, Head of Cultural Services (clive.morton@walthamforest.gov.uk), Lorna Lee, Head of Museums, Galleries and Archives (lorna.lee@walthamforest.gov.uk) and Cllr Geraldine Reardon, Portfolio Holder, Leisure, Arts and Culture (cllr.geraldine.reardon@walthamforest.gov.uk).
Questions have included, why the council are now spending more money in the gallery when the original cuts were planned to save money? Why it’s not been acknowledged that the new funds are solely as a result of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s disquiet at last years cuts and ‘restructuring’? Why the staff that proposed and managed the disasterous custs and ‘restructuring’ are still in post? Why is there no-one on hand at the gallery that is able to educate visitors in William Morris or any of the displays? Why the council are not addressing the problem of poor publicity for the gallery?
Please put your own questions to the council staff listed above.
