The Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent faces complaints to the Charities Commission following a claim of unfair dismissal by its director and the resignation of four governors.
The commission has confirmed it is in discussions with the museum's owners, the Powell-Cotton family. A statement said: "We have received correspondence expressing concerns about the governance of the Powell-Cotton Museum and are in correspondence with the trustees. We have not opened a formal inquiry."
Museum director Julia Walton, who was dismissed last March, will have her case heard at an industrial tribunal on 23 February.
Walton, who left the British Museum after 23 years to take up her post in 2005, had a 10-year lease on a cottage in the grounds of the specialist natural history museum as part of her contract.
She declined to comment, but it is understood that a dispute over the museum's future direction led to her sudden dismissal on grounds of gross misconduct.
Her departure prompted the resignation of four of the five local authority representatives on the 13-strong board of governors before the museum's November AGM. At the meeting, the museum was rebranded from its former name of the Quex Museum.
In a letter to Walton, three Thanet district councillors - Alasdair Bruce, Judith Russell and Mick Tomlinson - complained of "a comprehensive breakdown between the governors and chairman on a number of issues, including the dismissal of the museum director".
Under an agreement drawn up more than 30 years ago, the current chairman, Michael Cotton Garrett, a member of the Powell-Cotton family, is appointed as life chairman and has a "golden vote", allowing him to overrule the governors.
In their letter, the councillors claimed: "The situation now is that the chairman does not even put a resolution to the governors, as he will always have the majority vote."
They added that their decision to stand down had the backing of Thanet District Council, which was due to discuss possible replacements last month.
Keith Dunmall, the museum's education officer, said the councillors' decision was "disappointing". "It would have been better for them to turn up to the AGM and air their concerns," he said.
Dunmall said the museum was "struggling to transform itself under difficult circumstances". He said: "We are yet another charity founded a while ago that has yet to catch up with recent changes in legislation."
He added that the museum was in talks with the Charities Commission to update its practices, but said the "golden vote" held by the Powell-Cotton family was a courtesy to the family. "I don't think it has been used at any of the meetings," he said.
The commission has confirmed it is in discussions with the museum's owners, the Powell-Cotton family. A statement said: "We have received correspondence expressing concerns about the governance of the Powell-Cotton Museum and are in correspondence with the trustees. We have not opened a formal inquiry."
Museum director Julia Walton, who was dismissed last March, will have her case heard at an industrial tribunal on 23 February.
Walton, who left the British Museum after 23 years to take up her post in 2005, had a 10-year lease on a cottage in the grounds of the specialist natural history museum as part of her contract.
She declined to comment, but it is understood that a dispute over the museum's future direction led to her sudden dismissal on grounds of gross misconduct.
Her departure prompted the resignation of four of the five local authority representatives on the 13-strong board of governors before the museum's November AGM. At the meeting, the museum was rebranded from its former name of the Quex Museum.
In a letter to Walton, three Thanet district councillors - Alasdair Bruce, Judith Russell and Mick Tomlinson - complained of "a comprehensive breakdown between the governors and chairman on a number of issues, including the dismissal of the museum director".
Under an agreement drawn up more than 30 years ago, the current chairman, Michael Cotton Garrett, a member of the Powell-Cotton family, is appointed as life chairman and has a "golden vote", allowing him to overrule the governors.
In their letter, the councillors claimed: "The situation now is that the chairman does not even put a resolution to the governors, as he will always have the majority vote."
They added that their decision to stand down had the backing of Thanet District Council, which was due to discuss possible replacements last month.
Keith Dunmall, the museum's education officer, said the councillors' decision was "disappointing". "It would have been better for them to turn up to the AGM and air their concerns," he said.
Dunmall said the museum was "struggling to transform itself under difficult circumstances". He said: "We are yet another charity founded a while ago that has yet to catch up with recent changes in legislation."
He added that the museum was in talks with the Charities Commission to update its practices, but said the "golden vote" held by the Powell-Cotton family was a courtesy to the family. "I don't think it has been used at any of the meetings," he said.
