Cardiff Council U-turns on plans to make Story Museum mobile

Museum trustees welcomed the change of heart as "extremely positive news"

Controversial plans to move a museum from Cardiff's old library have been axed - for now.

Museum trustees welcomed the U-turn by Cardiff council, calling it "extremely positive news".

In the authority's December budget consultation, it said it was looking at making the Museum of Cardiff mobile to save money.

But as part of its 2023-24 budget proposals, it will look to keep it in The Hayes, in Cardiff city centre.

A spokesman for the trustees of the museum, also known as the Cardiff Story Museum, said: "We will now undertake a detailed examination of the best way to ensure a stable future for the museum.

"This will be conducted by a working party of the authority's officials and trustees with formal terms of reference.

"The working party will review the museum's long-term finances and the possibility of moving to alternative permanent sites."

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According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, residents, experts and museum visitors had criticised the council's plans.

Cardiff University's Prof Jane Henderson said making the museum mobile would be expensive and difficult.

She said: "Our attention must turn to building a more secure future for the museum that matches Cardiff's ambitions to be a stronger, fairer, greener city.

"For this to succeed we need investment in displays, continued support for partnerships and return to collecting as these are all essential for the lifeblood of the museum."

Cardiff Council still has a £23.5m gap in its budget.

It had said making the museum mobile could save £266,000 per year.

Prof Henderson said museums could be catalysts for growth.

Cardiff Council leader Huw Thomas confirmed the proposals were not going ahead

In February protesters took to Cardiff's streets to oppose the plans, as well as proposals to change library opening times and have St David's Hall run by a private firm.

Cardiff Council leader Huw Thomas confirmed the proposals were not going ahead.

"Any changes are being limited to removing a small number of long-term vacant posts in the service," he said.

He added that the council would work with trustees to secure a sustainable future for the museum.

This, Mr Thomas said, would include looking at "options for delivering the service at an alternative location".

The council's budget proposals will be discussed on Thursday, 2 March. If agreed they will be voted on at full council on Thursday, 9 March.