UUP in move to save borough’s museum
A ‘SAVE Craigavon Museum’ notice of motion is being tabled at the borough council on Monday night - but it could not have been tabled had the Portadown Times not highlighted the issue last week.
The feared closure was listed in the ‘confidential’ section of the leisure services committee, and the general public would have been unaware that the Waterside House facility was either being closed or downgraded to such an extent that it could lose its accreditation from the Northern Ireland Museum Service.
Ulster Unionists, who are tabling the motion, would have been barred from moving it into the public domain, had the Portadown Times not exposed the move, and carried angry reactions from distinguished local historians like Miss Rosalind Hadden, chairman of Craigavon Historical Society, and Mr Brian Cassells, chairman of the Craigavon Museum Committee.
A UUP source slammed the move to keep the issue in committee, “The issue should never have been ‘in committee’. Council guidelines state that only staffing matters are taken in secret session, and the loss of such a important facility is a matter of public concern.
“The closure or downgrading could have been a fait accompli had the ‘Times not brought the matter out in the public gaze.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portadown
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.