Statement on future of Museum of Cannock Chase

Cannock Chase Council is considering the future of the Museum of Cannock Chase located in Hednesford. The museum is managed for the Council by its leisure partner, Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles (IHL).

The plan is to relocate the museum to new premises for the following reasons:

•    to help contribute to a need to save £1.8m to balance the Council’s budget, with the museum contributing an estimated annual saving of £100,000 from 2024/25 towards this (met by energy and other operational cost savings);

•    to meet IHL’s own challenges dealing with high energy and running costs across all its buildings;

•    to improve the housing of the museum’s collections, in a more user friendly, energy efficient, and lower carbon emission space;

•    a need to update and refresh the museum displays and collection which are reaching the end of their normal display lifespan; 

•    a related need to digitise the collection so that we can meet museum accreditation standards;

•    to increase and develop future audiences to engage with our local heritage, through maximising exposure and access to the stored public collection;

•    continuing the valuable role the museum has in educating children - and in interpreting the District’s proud mining heritage using the latest techniques;

•    to improve recognition of  other heritage and cultural assets in the District, for example Castle Ring and World War I and II history in the area, 

•    to improve the celebration of local arts, artists and makers who currently have limited space to exhibit in the museum and; 

•    to respond to the Council and IHL’s health and wellbeing priorities for residents.

A new strategy for the service intends to address all of the above including securing a new site for the museum; aided by a focus on applying for external funding from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council.

Both the Council and IHL will engage and consult widely with key stakeholders to set out the vision for the new service.

Meantime - at least until the end of 2023 - it will be business as usual. The museum will open as advertised at its current location, continue to host education visits, and run its popular on-site events programme while the new strategy is worked on.

Longer term decisions about the future of the former Valley Colliery buildings are yet to be considered. The buildings could well be developed and maintained, including retaining the outdoor pit wheel, although the main priority for now is the successful relocation of the museum.

The museum savings proposal was among a range of savings to discretionary services agreed by councillors at the Council’s Budget meeting held on 15 February.