SCC Scrutiny Outline Business Case

The Cabinet - 4 July 2012

Speakers at Public Question Time

Mr Chris Sidaway - Deputy Chairman of Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society (SANHS)

As the papers demonstrate, Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society is Somerset County Council's most significant partner in the field of heritage through owning the Castle and 40% of the collections. SANHS would like to publicly thank elected members for the vision and foresight to develop the Somerset Heritage Centre and Museum of Somerset which have become national exemplars. We feel strongly that the existing Heritage Service not only provides enjoyment, education, social cohesion and well-being to the residents of Somerset but is a proven economic driver supporting the tourism offer and economic development.

 We support the "Vision" outlined and agree that the totality of the service and the collections as its major strength and within our Society have expertise across all the disciplines and would expect opportunities to contribute to "fleshing" out the Vision and participating in its delivery.

 Currently the low rent charged on the Castle recognises the full maintenance agreement within the lease with Somerset County Council and this would need to continue to satisfy terms of the lease, conditions of the HLF settlement and allow us to carry out our charitable objectives and safeguard our assets.

 We would emphatically register with members that any changes to existing arrangements would be service led and that any legal costs are met in full by Somerset County Council as recognised in the report.

 SANHS do not want to see any reduction in service but expect the review to identify means in which the same level of service be achieved in a more effective and efficient way and investigate maximising income and external funding opportunities whilst exploring more creative ways of working with other local authorities and voluntary sector partners such as ourselves to consolidate 60 years of a symbiotic relationship.
I would like to conclude with a quotation from Rev. D.P. Alford our onetime Hon. Secretary and author of a short history of Taunton Castle in which he concludes:

"Surely it must be allowed that so ancient as fortress as Taunton Castle, with such an interesting outlook on the past and turned to such good use in the present, claims sympathy and support from every local patriot of Somerset"

He was writing in 1923 but does that sentiment not have resonance today.