Free Admission for the Borough Museum.

For 20 years I have been campaigning for free admission to a borough museum. Indeed I first tabled a writtern question on this specific subject before the borough Heritage Centre even opened, so I am glad Tony Brett-Young mentioned my interest at Strategy Committee today.

I do believe it is an embarrasment that we are the only Council in London that charges admission to our borough museum, so I hope announcements today at Strategy Committee mean we can move to free admission in the next year bearing in mind this change will only cost between £6,000-£9,000 out of a quarter billion budget and I am sure the larger Tory opposition might be interested in this positive policy as well.

As a result of:

1. The Museum Accreditation Status agreed at Stategy today.

2. The requirement for our highly regarded cultural rating that we improve in future and that museum attendance is an existing weakness (10,000 at charged for Heritage Centre compared to 20,000 at free Ecology Centre).

3, Sean Brennan' comments at Strategy today that imply this is being looked at.

I really do hope Sutton can end its status as the only borough that charges for museum admission. I look forward to congratulating the Council in due course if that is the case.