Stormy Seas as DCMS Begins its Cull of Quangos

The DCMS, as part of its review of arms length bodies, intends to wind up the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council by March 2012, along with the UK Film Council. Jeremy Hunt said the review would "increase the transparency and accountability of [the Department's] public bodies".

MLA Chair Sir Andrew Motion and Chief Executive Roy Clare have said that they would respond to "stormy seas" with "cool heads and steady hands."

The UK Film Council's Chair's response was somewhat less measured: "Abolishing the most successful film support organisation the UK has ever had is a bad decision, imposed without any consultation or evaluation." 

Hunt speaking in the House of Commons on the 26 July, said the plans do not "reflect our commitment to the Government’s or the lottery’s investing in UK film, or Government support for the sectors represented by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. However, in the constrained circumstances in which we find ourselves, we want to ensure that every penny is used on front-line services, not on back-office and bureaucracy." 

Mark Taylor, the Museums Association director, already has a meeting booked with Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, to discuss the proposals. "It is important that we have a strategic body with museums as one of its principal functions, rather than a minor department in another quango," "The challenge now is to retain as much as possible from the good that the MLA does and make sure that museums have their rightful place in the DCMS structure."
 

Supporters have launched a petition to save the UK Film Council here.