Hundreds sign petition for museum to stay at current location as council proposes move

The petition, started by Darrell Mawle, is also calling for tennis courts at Hednesford Park to remain free to use.

It comes after Cannock Chase Council agreed to move to a chargeable booking system if its bid for funding from a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) scheme to refurbish facilities across the district proves successful.

The authority is considering relocating the Museum of Cannock Chase from the former Valley Colliery at Hednesford to another site managed by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles (IHL), which runs leisure and cultural services on behalf of the council.

The move could save the council £100,000 in 2024/25, a report revealed. But the proposals have not been welcomed by residents and community leaders in Hednesford. An alternative budget proposal calling for the museum to be retained in its current location was presented to the full council, but failed to gain enough support to be referred to cabinet for consideration.

Councillors heard that a petition to keep the museum in Hednesford had received hundreds of signatures within days of being started. As of yesterday it had received more than 1,600 signatures.

The petition stated: “The Museum of Cannock Chase has stood for decades in Valley Road, Hednesford. It rightly celebrates the proud mining heritage of this area.

“It is not just a collection of buildings, it is the site of the Valley Colliery, which shaped Hednesford Town. It is also the location of the regional Mines Training centre, through which hundreds of people passed before joining mines in Staffordshire and Shropshire, and it was also the base of the Mines Rescue Centre which saved many lives over the years.

“The museum’s location next to Hednesford Hills allows a regular events programme to help residents, schools and organisations to re-connect with the natural beauty and wildlife of Hednesford Hills. The museum also brings in tourists and income to the whole town, protecting the livelihoods of local people and businesses.”

Councillor Paul Woodhead, who presented the Chase Community Independents and Green Group’s proposal to retain the museum at its current site at Wednesday’s meeting, said: “I can only recall three other significant IHL facilities being the two leisure centres and the Prince of Wales Theatre. I am not sure how many people would appreciate and consider the collection of artefacts on their way to their weekly swim.

“Furthermore, with the Prince of Wales Theatre closing in December for a significant period for redevelopment as part of the Cannock town centre regeneration Levelling Up scheme, we are keen to understand what the actual plans are beyond stating the financial savings.

"Once it is in the budget it is not a case of collaborative consultation with the community about the purpose and future of the museum, it will be a limited chat about the options for relocation as our heritage slips to the memories of a passing generation and new houses get built on the relics of the past.

Council leader Olivia Lyons said relocating would improve the housing of the collection “in a more user-friendly, energy efficient and lower carbon emission space”.

There is also a need to digitise the collection to meet museum accreditation standards, she added, and future options could include a “touring museum” working with local schools and organisations to educate the district’s children about the area’s heritage.

And Councillor Lyons stressed that it remained “business as usual” at the museum site until at least the end of 2023 while a new strategy for the service was produced. She said the buildings could well be developed and maintained, including retaining the outdoor pit wheel.

The petition can be found at change.org/p/keep-the-museum-of-cannock-chase-in-hednesford-free-tennis-court-use-for-all.