£3m repair bill for museums revealed (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

£3m repair bill for museums revealed

7:00am Tuesday 27th October 2009

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Bradford’s museums and galleries could need more than £3 million spending on them in the next year.

A repairs ‘wishlist’ drawn up by Bradford Council includes more than £1m of work at the five-storey Bradford Industrial Museum, including new windows, heating system and lift.

It follows approximately £100,000 which will be spent shortly on emergency works at Cartwright Hall in Lister Park, Manningham.

On top of the £3.2m that could be spent in the next year, £332,000 is expected to be required within two years and a further £342,000 in four or more years.

Roosje Barr, the Council’s assistant director of facilities management, said: “We have carried out condition surveys of our buildings to build up a picture of the maintenance requirements we need to address. Our priorities are those buildings that are heavily used by the public and have a high profile.

“Those maintenance issues can range from replacing new windows or heating systems to upgrading the lifts.

“The district’s seven museums are housed in very different buildings from an early 19th century mill such as the Bradford Industrial Museum to a 17th century house in Bolling Hall.

“Each has different maintenance requirements which will be addressed as part of our planned programme.

“Any problems that pose a risk to people’s health and safety are dealt with promptly.”

She added: “Some of the works in this estimated priorities list would be funded from the general property maintenance budget which comprises approximately £5m to cover the Council’s 750 corporate buildings. Others would require a capital investment, for example if a new boiler or a new roof was needed.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment and culture, said: “Many buildings including libraries, museums and community halls have, for a considerable amount of time, not been maintained adequately.

“Everybody would like to see buildings brought up to scratch. I am aware that there are priorities, but museums and libraries are important for education.

“Leisure services are also very important for tourism and attracting people to the district. Sometimes you have to invest to enable other things to happen.”

But Labour group leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, accused the Council’s ruling Tory and Liberal Democrat groups of neglecting the district’s cultural heritage.

He said: “We have consistently proposed that more money than the ruling coalition has directed at tourism, sport and heritage in every budget is needed.

“We believe there has been a consistent reduction in cultural funding in the district. We recognise that there are financial problems but we also believe that every community is measured to a large degree in the attention it pays to its cultural heritage.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, the Council’s Lib Dem leader, said: “There is still work ongoing with the schools building programme which for the Liberal Democrats is a priority.

“We will clearly be looking carefully at every item of spend and we would not favour new Council buildings over protecting our heritage at the Industrial Museum.”

Last week the Telegraph & Argus reported how Cartwright Hall was now likely to remain shut until the spring for emergency repairs to the ceiling.

The 105-year-old Grade II listed building was closed to the public in August after part of a ceiling collapsed in a basement office and further checks uncovered more essential work was required. It is hoped that work will begin by the end of the year

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