Museums Galleries Scotland forced to abandon constitution vote
Museums raise objections to changes
A vote on the new constitution of Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) was abandoned last week after member museums raised objections to planned changes.
MGS is moving from a membership to a subscription body as part of its new remit as the national development body delivering the Scottish national strategy. But a crucial vote to pass its new constitution was adjourned at its AGM last Friday pending further consultation.
According to those who attended the meeting, members raised several objections to the proposed changes, including tiered subscription rates for different types of organisation.
Concerns were also raised about the new governance structure, which will consist of a board of directors appointed by a nomination panel rather than elected by members. The new constitution doesn’t stipulate a set number of board members who work in museums.
David Gaimster, director of the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, attended the meeting and said: “Museums are being asked to sign over a lot of money in subscription fees but with virtually no influence on the way the body will be run. And there is no confidence that the new body will be grounded in the sector or represented by its board.”
Another senior museum professional who attended the AGM but asked not to be named said the new constitution gave MGS scope to work with non-museum heritage organisations – a move she warned ran the risk of diluting its remit and funding.
“Something fairly major will have to be changed in the constitution for the sector to accept it,” she added.
And Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said that all museums and galleries across the country should be able to directly access the services and support needed to implement the national strategy, something a subscription model might not allow.
In an email sent to disgruntled members following the AGM, Fiona Ballantyne, chairwoman of MGS, said that the issues raised during the meeting’s “lively debate” would be given further consideration.
She added that MGS will provide members with more information on subscription levels and set out an outline process for how its moves forward.
But Gaimster said MGS had a “hard sell” on its hands, as it would have to regain the confidence and support of unhappy members: “It has not spent enough time explaining how the new constitution would work and people are concerned the new development body will be overly corporate and not understand the sector.”
MGS is moving from a membership to a subscription body as part of its new remit as the national development body delivering the Scottish national strategy. But a crucial vote to pass its new constitution was adjourned at its AGM last Friday pending further consultation.
According to those who attended the meeting, members raised several objections to the proposed changes, including tiered subscription rates for different types of organisation.
Concerns were also raised about the new governance structure, which will consist of a board of directors appointed by a nomination panel rather than elected by members. The new constitution doesn’t stipulate a set number of board members who work in museums.
David Gaimster, director of the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, attended the meeting and said: “Museums are being asked to sign over a lot of money in subscription fees but with virtually no influence on the way the body will be run. And there is no confidence that the new body will be grounded in the sector or represented by its board.”
Another senior museum professional who attended the AGM but asked not to be named said the new constitution gave MGS scope to work with non-museum heritage organisations – a move she warned ran the risk of diluting its remit and funding.
“Something fairly major will have to be changed in the constitution for the sector to accept it,” she added.
And Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said that all museums and galleries across the country should be able to directly access the services and support needed to implement the national strategy, something a subscription model might not allow.
In an email sent to disgruntled members following the AGM, Fiona Ballantyne, chairwoman of MGS, said that the issues raised during the meeting’s “lively debate” would be given further consideration.
She added that MGS will provide members with more information on subscription levels and set out an outline process for how its moves forward.
But Gaimster said MGS had a “hard sell” on its hands, as it would have to regain the confidence and support of unhappy members: “It has not spent enough time explaining how the new constitution would work and people are concerned the new development body will be overly corporate and not understand the sector.”