£4m bid for Staffordshire heritage centre rejected as lacked 'vision' to demonstrate public engagement

Plans had been drawn up to close the William Salt Library in Stafford and Lichfield Record Office with all archives being housed at Stafford Record Office which would get a three-storey extension.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has refused the initial bid for most of the cash to get the £4.3m project off the ground but council bosses say they have been encouraged to submit it again.

The site would include a new search room on the ground floor, an exhibition space and rom for the collections to expand for another 20 years.

A report to the council states: "The bid was rejected by Heritage Lottery Fund but with resubmission welcomed.

"Rejection on a first attempt is not unusual and HLF does not always leave the door open for a second submission."

The council says the lottery fund felt the the project 'needed a much better overall vision to demonstrate how the public could be encouraged to engage with the fantastic collection of archives more clearly'.

And the council has also been told to look in more depth at how the William Salt building could be used in future once the library has closed.

The report adds: "It was clear that they understood the quality and significance of the collections and the need to safeguard them however a clearer vision on how people would engage with them was required."

The council has appointed two consultants from the firm Janice Tullock Associates to help draw up a new bid, which is expected to be submitted in April next year.

The council's director of place Helen Riley said: "A new Project Enquiry has been submitted to HLF and they have responded requesting a meeting with the team.

"This time the key contact is the head of HLF West Midlands, a more senior adviser than on the previous bid. The new project enquiry has changed the project name to 'Staffordshire History Centre' establishing a fresh start, approach and development of a more inclusive offer that encourages new ways, means and types of user to access the collections not just for research but for enjoyment. It will focus on seeking partnerships, using volunteers and creating exciting opportunities to showcase these collections as a cultural attraction."

Closing the Lichfield site will save £70,000 a year and it is estimated closing the William Salt Library will save a further £75,000 a year.

The £4.3 million total cost of the project includes £400,000 from Staffordshire County Council.

The report states the rejection was 'disappointing but not unusual'. It adds: "It has given the project team an opportunity to reflect on the feedback and develop a new approach involving stakeholders in the decision making."

It comes as the council makes £102m of cuts that has included shutting youth centres and drafting volunteers in to help run some libraries.