Following the full council decision on 15 February, Suffolk County Council has confirmed that it will be inviting community representatives from both Lowestoft and Bury St Edmund's to form two new Working Parties to consider local access to historical material.
The County Council has made clear it is committed to working with local stakeholders and depositors to develop alternative options, which could allow relevant collections to remain in the local area.
Any proposals will need to be locally funded, but the County Council will offer important practical support by advising on technical issues such as storage conditions, insurance, security, and public access.
Councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Cabinet Member for Communities & Equalities said:
“Since my appointment, I have been clear that I want to work with local residents and organisations to investigate which local collections may be able to remain in the area, rather than being moved to Suffolk's flagship storage facility ‘The Hold’ in Ipswich. For example, we have already begun discussions on how the Bury Psalter could remain in Bury St Edmunds.
“The working parties will provide an environment for us to work with local depositors and develop local solutions together.”
Relevant stakeholder groups will be contacted by the end of the month with further details and proposed dates for the first meetings.
Any local depositors who would like the arrangements for their collections to be considered by the new Working Parties should contact SuffolkArchivesEngagement@suffolk.gov.uk in the first instance.
Following the approval of the County Council's budget proposals the majority of the records are still planned to move to The Hold and the North-East and West Suffolk branches of the archive service will close.
Centralising the three branches into one brings Suffolk in line with the majority of archive services across the country and will enable the Council to deliver a service that is better value for tax-payers money.
