The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has revealed the outcome of its restructure.
The biggest change will be to the organisation's regional presence. All of the regional agencies will be wound up by April 2009 and replaced by three directors of engagement, operating across regions, and at least one regional manager in each of the regions outside London. The future of the London MLA is pending the outcome of discussions with London's new mayor, Boris Johnson.
The three directors of engagement will be on the executive board of the MLA and will play a strategic role across three new "super regions" - the North, the South and East, and the West and South (see box).
Roy Clare, the MLA's chief executive, said: "For the first time, we will have an integrated organisation and executive board operating around a neat central core."
But doubts have been expressed as to how effective the new structure will be. Tamsin Daniel, chairwoman of the South West Museums Federation, said she was concerned about the size of the new region that would encompass the South West and West Midlands.
"The South West is a huge region already," she said. "The MLA will not be very visible at a regional level, and could end up being virtually invisible to museums on the ground."
Carolyn Dalton, the president of the Yorkshire and Humberside Federation of Museums and Galleries, echoed the concerns. "Unless good lines of communication are established, the flow of information from museums of all types into MLA will be substantially reduced - to the detriment of the sector as a whole. We are glad to say that here in Yorkshire we are already addressing this issue.".
Jon Finch, chief executive of the MLA West Midlands, said that although there would be fewer MLA staff in the regions, the new structure was a pragmatic response to the MLA's budget cuts. "It will be possible to deliver across the new region at an ambassadorial level, as long as there is a clear idea of the director of engagement's strategic role," he said.
Under the new arrangement, the regional managers will work from home in their respective regions, and there will be no regional offices. Clare said there would be an open selection process for the director of engagement and regional manager posts and that he hoped that the new directors would be in position by August.
In the national organisation, there have been 12 compulsory and 18 voluntary redundancies. Mike Sparham, a negotiations officer for the Prospect trade union, said staff morale was low, but added: "Given the upheaval of the relocation and restructure, it was never going to be an easy process."
Only 10 staff are transferring to the MLA's new office in Birmingham, which is due to open in August. The MLA has advertised a raft of new posts but last month failed to recruit a programme manager for Renaissance despite more than 40 applications and a salary of up to £71,800 for the Birmingham-based job.
Clare said an interim manager might be appointed while a second round of recruiting takes place. "We want a really good project manager. There were some good candidates, but we are hell bent on quality," he added.
The biggest change will be to the organisation's regional presence. All of the regional agencies will be wound up by April 2009 and replaced by three directors of engagement, operating across regions, and at least one regional manager in each of the regions outside London. The future of the London MLA is pending the outcome of discussions with London's new mayor, Boris Johnson.
The three directors of engagement will be on the executive board of the MLA and will play a strategic role across three new "super regions" - the North, the South and East, and the West and South (see box).
Roy Clare, the MLA's chief executive, said: "For the first time, we will have an integrated organisation and executive board operating around a neat central core."
But doubts have been expressed as to how effective the new structure will be. Tamsin Daniel, chairwoman of the South West Museums Federation, said she was concerned about the size of the new region that would encompass the South West and West Midlands.
"The South West is a huge region already," she said. "The MLA will not be very visible at a regional level, and could end up being virtually invisible to museums on the ground."
Carolyn Dalton, the president of the Yorkshire and Humberside Federation of Museums and Galleries, echoed the concerns. "Unless good lines of communication are established, the flow of information from museums of all types into MLA will be substantially reduced - to the detriment of the sector as a whole. We are glad to say that here in Yorkshire we are already addressing this issue.".
Jon Finch, chief executive of the MLA West Midlands, said that although there would be fewer MLA staff in the regions, the new structure was a pragmatic response to the MLA's budget cuts. "It will be possible to deliver across the new region at an ambassadorial level, as long as there is a clear idea of the director of engagement's strategic role," he said.
Under the new arrangement, the regional managers will work from home in their respective regions, and there will be no regional offices. Clare said there would be an open selection process for the director of engagement and regional manager posts and that he hoped that the new directors would be in position by August.
In the national organisation, there have been 12 compulsory and 18 voluntary redundancies. Mike Sparham, a negotiations officer for the Prospect trade union, said staff morale was low, but added: "Given the upheaval of the relocation and restructure, it was never going to be an easy process."
Only 10 staff are transferring to the MLA's new office in Birmingham, which is due to open in August. The MLA has advertised a raft of new posts but last month failed to recruit a programme manager for Renaissance despite more than 40 applications and a salary of up to £71,800 for the Birmingham-based job.
Clare said an interim manager might be appointed while a second round of recruiting takes place. "We want a really good project manager. There were some good candidates, but we are hell bent on quality," he added.
At a glance
Single integrated staff team by April 2009.
All regional agencies apart from MLA London to be wound up by April 2009.
Three new "directors of engagement" to operate across "super regions": North (north-east, north-west and Yorkshire); South and East (East Midlands, eastern England and south- east); West and South (West Midlands and south-west).
Each English region to have at least one regional manager.
Regional action teams of up to 30 staff to give specific help where needed.
Single integrated staff team by April 2009.
All regional agencies apart from MLA London to be wound up by April 2009.
Three new "directors of engagement" to operate across "super regions": North (north-east, north-west and Yorkshire); South and East (East Midlands, eastern England and south- east); West and South (West Midlands and south-west).
Each English region to have at least one regional manager.
Regional action teams of up to 30 staff to give specific help where needed.