Adur and Worthing councils are consulting on restructuring proposals that could see their culture department, which includes Worthing Museum, lose 18 full-time and part-time roles.
Under the plans, which are subject to a 30-day consultation with affected staff, 13 new roles will be created. As well as the museum, the culture department includes theatres and a cinema.
"We are in full negotiation with the unions to ensure that the process is open and fair, especially in regards to voluntary redundancy and redeployment opportunities," said a spokesman for Adur and Worthing councils.
"Overall, the proposals, if accepted at the end of the consultation period, will reduce the wage bill across the culture department by approximately £25,000 per annum.
"This process is not about cuts to the arts - far from it, as recent performance and the continued investment from the borough council has shown," the spokesman continued.
"What we will achieve is an organisation more focused and increasingly able to deliver what the community and audience want, while still working within increasingly challenging financial constraints."
There is concern among museum staff that paid front-of-house employees will be replaced by volunteers.
Under the plans, which are subject to a 30-day consultation with affected staff, 13 new roles will be created. As well as the museum, the culture department includes theatres and a cinema.
"We are in full negotiation with the unions to ensure that the process is open and fair, especially in regards to voluntary redundancy and redeployment opportunities," said a spokesman for Adur and Worthing councils.
"Overall, the proposals, if accepted at the end of the consultation period, will reduce the wage bill across the culture department by approximately £25,000 per annum.
"This process is not about cuts to the arts - far from it, as recent performance and the continued investment from the borough council has shown," the spokesman continued.
"What we will achieve is an organisation more focused and increasingly able to deliver what the community and audience want, while still working within increasingly challenging financial constraints."
There is concern among museum staff that paid front-of-house employees will be replaced by volunteers.
