COUNCILLORS TO BE UPDATED ON DUMFRIES NEW ARCHIVE CENTRE
Written by author on September 1, 2015
DUMFRIES and Galloway Council’s Community and Customer Services Committee will convene on Thursday 3 September, and will hear of the options relating to the new Archive Centre in Dumfries.
Members will be asked to note that the application made to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to assist with funding for the new archive centre was unsuccessful due to intense competition from around the UK for funding bids. HLF have indicated however, that a further application may be accepted in the future, should the Council wish to pursue this avenue of funding.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Capital Works programme continues to support the creation of a new regional archive centre. As such, Members will be asked to agree that further development work is undertaken alongside a review of the work carried out to date. External funding may then be applied for via the HLF.
Members will hear that a further report will be presented to the Community and Customer Services Committee at the meeting of 20 October detailing the review and development work that’s been carried out, in a bid to provide a preferred option to be considered as part of the Council’s capital investment strategy.
Chairman of Community and Customer Services Committee, Councillor Tom McAughtrie reinforced the Council’s commitment to providing a fit for purpose archive centre. He said;
“A new Archive Centre for Dumfries and Galloway is long overdue and something that our Council is committed to providing for both the people of the region as well as visitors to the area. It is important that we have a modern facility to allow visitors to the centre access to state of the art search facilities. I am confident that this committee can recommend a fit for purpose, state of the art facility that will benefit the region for many a year to come. We’ve been encouraged by the HLF’s suggestion of making a future bid for funding and this will remain an option going forward.”
