There was relief after yesterday’s full meeting of Falkirk Council, where Councillors across parties supported a plea by a deputation from the Friends of Kinneil asking them to rethink a proposal on their agenda to close Kinneil Museum later this year.
Councillors were urged to commit strongly to the importance of the Falkirk area’s exceptional historic parks and heritage facilities to tourism and economic growth – as well as their priceless value to communities, children’s education and people’s wellbeing.
In giving the museum a reprieve, Councillors agreed that the Council first needed to give added impetus to:
- reviewing the overall strategic masterplan for Kinneil Estate as a whole, which was first agreed in 2015;
- holding the proper high-level discussions on this with Historic Environment Scotland (who manage Kinneil House), other partners and the community; and
- using this plan to explore funding opportunities finally to deliver the site’s better long-term future as one of the area’s outstanding assets and attractions.
The Council decided to defer decisions about the museum from Phase 3 (potentially leading to closure at the end of September) of their massive overall property review, and to move it along with a few other properties into the new Phase 4. Phase 4 is stated to be intended for buildings which require further consideration, especially to look at substantial partnership opportunities and potential investment programmes.
The museum is not completely off the threat list, as the Council agreed to review the position again in a year’s time. Encouragingly, however, there were also key concessions in debate from across parties that, if constructive progress can be made in the wider masterplanning discussions now due to get under way, it may be possible at that stage to remove completely the threat hanging over Kinneil’s future.
Separately, Kinneil Museum won further support yesterday in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
A spokesperson for the Friends of Kinneil committee said: “Thank you to elected members from across all political groupings, both at Council and national levels, for such wide support and for this pragmatic and welcome decision to reprieve the good museum and park visitor facility at Kinneil.
“Sense has prevailed. This follows volunteers’ intensive efforts behind the scenes, since hearing about this soul-destroying proposal, and our public pleas in the press and at yesterday’s meeting, to persuade Councillors to rethink this.
“This area’s fabulous public heritage and historic parks are among its unique selling-points with untapped opportunities for tourism and economic growth. They have a priceless value both for our communities’ wellbeing and pride of place, and for education of our future generations. They belong to everyone, and people everywhere need to speak up, so that decades of good, professional, public provision are not getting compromised.
“Kinneil Museum will soon be reaching its 50th anniversary and we hope that forthcoming discussions with Historic Environment Scotland, other partners and the community, to find the right strategic plan for Kinneil and the wider area as a whole, will give this exceptional place a viable future for decades ahead”.
The discussion about Kinneil at Falkirk Council’s 30 January meeting can be viewed online here and begins after the lunch recess at about 3 hours:36 minutes into the meeting. Significant points were also made in debate by Councillors towards the end of the meeting from around 6 hours:46 minutes onwards.
Amended wording from local Labour Councillors around moving Kinneil Museum to Phase 4 was also adopted by the SNP and was carried with cross-party support. An even stronger Conservative amendment to remove the museum completely from the Council’s property review, and to lift the threat of closure altogether, was not carried but was welcomed by the Friends. It received a sympathetic hearing from around the Council chamber, and picked up support in the vote from local Independent Councillors also.
Following support from Michelle Thomson MSP (SNP) and the Scottish Government in the Scottish Parliament a week ago, there was further support yesterday in a cross-party motion tabled by regional MSP, Stephen Kerr (Conservative). Separately, concerns were raised yesterday in the House of Commons at Westminster by Kirsteen Sullivan MP (Labour).
Visitors and the local community are encouraged to visit Kinneil Museum! It’s open free, year-round, daily except Tuesdays, 12.30-4pm. It is expected that Historic Environment Scotland will once again re-open Kinneil House to visitors every Saturday for indoor tours, from the end of March until the end of September.
Discover 2,000 years of history of the Bo’ness and Kinneil areas at Kinneil Museum:
Kinneil 
You must be logged in to post a comment.