Cannock leader in talks on future of theatre and museum
Discussions are taking place with local Cannock Chase groups interested in taking on the district’s Prince of Wales Theatre and museum.
Cannock Chase Council leader, Tony Johnson (pictured), revealed he has been leading talks on the theatre and Museum of Cannock Chase with ‘interested parties’ following feedback from the consultation that closed earlier this month.
More than 2,100 people responded to the consultation after proposals to shut the theatre and museum were put forward in a bid to help reduce a projected £1.3m gap in the council’s budget.
An online petition has been received and residents also attended several drop-in sessions as part of the consultation which was launched in November.
The groups are expected to put forward a business plan to run both venues - with the local authority offering to fund expert advice to support their proposals.
The council is also looking to use government funding to help with necessary upgrades on the theatre building if the group can make a viable case for the service to continue.
The district council’s leisure and cultural offer is run by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles (IHL) and includes the museum and theatre - as well as the leisure centres at Cannock and Rugeley.
The theatre is due to close temporarily at the end of April as part of work to regenerate the town centre.
A survey of the building revealed £2.2m would need to be spent on it over 10 years - including £1.4m in the first two years. Levelling Up funding (LUF) received from government as part of the regeneration work is unable to be used to finance the day-to-day costs of the theatre or museum.
Already taxpayers’ money subsidises the annual running of the theatre by £167k and the museum by £256k - which doesn’t include the cost of overheads such as the back office functions the council provides to support IHL.
Councillor Johnson said: “We encouraged people to share their views and said we would listen to any suggestions and ideas that would allow us to preserve our museum and theatre offer.
“It is from that feedback that we have had people and groups come forward with initiatives and we are hopeful they will provide us with a sound business case for how both services to the public can continue.”
Funding that the district council receives from the government to deliver services has fallen by millions of pounds in real terms over the last decade.
The leisure and cultural functions that IHL run on the authority’s behalf are ‘non-statutory’ - meaning the council does not have to provide them unlike many other services - but account for around 15 percent of the local authority’s net budget.
He continued: “I have promised to do all I can to save the theatre and museum and that is why I am pleased we are working with interested parties and being able to support them with specialist consultancy, as well as looking at using government funds that can be used for the Prince of Wales building.”
“This is a very difficult decision. In every discussion with colleagues, residents and organisations, I have had to stress that the council is facing an extremely challenging financial situation - and that we must have a balanced budget for the future which protects the vital front-line services we provide to our communities.”
A report will be discussed at a meeting of the full council next month.
