Roy Clare CBE, Chief Executive of the MLA Partnership commenting on today’s CSR settlement said:
“We welcome the government’s commitment to maintain funding “in real terms for arts, museums and galleries”, but we will press the case in the coming days and weeks that this undertaking extends to Renaissance - our successful programme for regional museums.
Discussions are continuing and much detail is left to be announced, but we already know enough to realise that this settlement poses some real challenges for the cultural sector and for the MLA Partnership.
Our main priority continues to be to deliver the best possible services and benefits for the millions of people who visit, use and enjoy the exceptional resources available in museums, libraries and archives.
We recognise that in common with other sectors the maintenance of funding to frontline services and programmes depends on the achievement of challenging efficiency savings.
We will work with regional and national agencies and partners to organise and target resources in ways that ensure that the greatest impact is delivered to the widest audience as efficiently as possible.
Recognising the pressures on DCLG and local authorities to find efficiencies and savings, we will work with these bodies to help identify steps to strengthen and make more sustainable the services that are provided by public libraries. These must provide books and other resources with high levels of customer service and support that respond to and match the expectations and needs of all people in local communities"
