The Greater London Authority is to gain control over of the Museum of London the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced today.
The decision follows a public consultation earlier this year the Department on future sponsorship arrangements for the Museum. At present the attraction is co-funded by the Department and the City of London Corporation, with the Prime Minister and the City appointing half of the Museum’s 18-strong Board of Governors each.
Under the today’s proposals the roles of DCMS and the Prime Minister will pass to the GLA and the Mayor of London with the City of London’s role remaining unchanged.
Announcing the changes Culture secretary Tessa Jowell said her Department had ” given careful thought to the views expressed in the consultation, and we have concluded that there is a strong case for the GLA taking on the Government’s sponsorship role for the Museum of London. ”
Ms Jowell added that “the GLA and the City share a common focus on London and we believe that their partnership as joint sponsors of the museum will be of enormous benefit to the museum, its many visitors and to the capital itself.”
The news was welcomed by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone who described the Museum of London as “an important asset to the heritage sector and a vital part of London’s cultural offer” adding that he was “very pleased with this decision, which recognises the importance of the museum to the whole of London and the need for the strategic authority to have a say in how it is run.’
The Mayor pledged to “work closely with both the Museum of London’s staff and the City of London to raise the profile of this great organisation and ensure its future success.”
The news was also welcomed by the Corporation of London and Museum’s Board of Governors.
Michael Snyder, Policy & Resources Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said the City was “firmly dedicated to its stewardship of the nationally important Museum of London” and that it “looks forward to seeing the Museum continuing to flourish under the new Board.”
Michael Cassidy, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Museum of London said he was “confident that the forthcoming discussions over details of the new arrangements will ensure the Museum’s funding and recognition of its nationally important collections will be secured or enhanced through this new relationship.”
The changes will require Parliamentary approval and will form part of the forthcoming Greater London Authority Bill.