New museum could open in April 2008

Hintze Family Charitable Foundation has offers £2million

Plans to put the new independent borough museum on a secure financial footing were unveiled to councillors at a special meeting of the environment and leisure overview and scrutiny committee on July 2.

The new museum will be owned and operated by a new company whose trustees will include local philanthropists Michael and Dorothy Hintze.

The £2 million offer is conditional on the council making appropriate premises available, commissioning a suitable business plan and forming the new museum company - all of which have now been achieved.

If the proposals are supported the council will begin negotiations for the loan of museum artefacts and the leasing of part of the current West Hill library building.

The museum's trustees will include a number of prominent local people who have agreed to offer their professional expertise to the new venture. These include Sir Robert Malpas, Lady Deborah MacMillan, Gavyn Davies, Natalie Wheen, Sue Roscoe Watts and Dorian Gerhold. The council will nominate local ward councillor and current Mayor Stuart Thom as its representative.

The current museum, which was scheduled to close in September, will now remain open to the public until the end of the year with reduced hours to assist the council in its negotiations with the company. It will close from January to March 2008 while building alterations take place at West Hill. The company would aim to have the new museum ready to open in April 2008.

Council leader Edward Lister said, "We have come a long way since our first discussions with the Hintze family in April.

"We now have all the structures in place to make the promise of a new, independently-run museum a reality. The Hintzes have succeeded in attracting some highly influential supporters who will give the new company a strong cultural and business base.

"To be on the verge of forming such a powerful body after such a short time gives us all huge encouragement for the future.  The new museum trustees will meet for the first time early next month.
Their first priorities will be to agree the business plan and achieve charitable status.

"Many borough museums and cultural institutions face challenges from reduced levels of local and central government funding. The new Wandsworth Museum marks a bold and exciting change of direction. The trustees will be keen to maximise all available fund-raising opportunities so that it can build on the Hintze family's wonderful gesture."

The Hintze Family Charitable Foundation offer comprises initial funding of £1 million with the balance released in stages over a five-year period.

July 5, 2007