Sale of Campbeltown treasures ?

[EMDEE]

The article states that the collection includes the original Campbeltown Burgh Charter from 1700. I cannot understand why this is even mentioned or included here, as it would be completely daft if anyone other than Argyll & Bute Council, as successors to Campbeltown Town Council were the owners of this historical document.

[Bertie]

I agree EMDEE, historical documents relating to the burgh should remain and shouldn't be included.

The question may also be asked if individual items have been bequeathed to Argyll & Bute in general or for the sole benefit of particular communities within Argyll & Bute. I can see open cans and worms everywhere!!

[Swanseajock]

I agree with the opponents of this madness. As with all politicians of any level, short termism is always the answer. As SCD says there are meant to be revenue savings, not oneoffs. Once these "treasures" are gone, they are gone. The money gets spent and then the next year that money is not ther, and neither is the asset. This should be kicked far into the long grass (well once the snow goes it should!!)

[petewick]

Argyll & Bute Council have no right whatsoever to even suggest the sale of our cultural heritage. The Free Library and Museum was the gift of a benefactor - James McAllister Hall, and the contents of the museum are the property of the community and people of Campbeltown, this, by deed of gift from various contributors - including William McTaggart the now famous artist.

Even if it was possible, surely it amounts to sacrilige to even think of selling of our heritage to bail out the financial woes of the council. Should the Egyptians sell off the pyramids? What about McCaigs Tower to a property developer , or better still, Kilmory Castle along with the ruling dynasty!!

The above is the most correct and rational post in this thread.

[Mr Plod]

Just read this post and I am astonished. I thought I'd heard it all, but no.

These items are of significant cultural and local heritage value which far outstrips their monetary value. Many of the archeological artifacts in the museum may even be priceless.

I myself have handed in plant fossils in coal I found on Machrihanish beach and a blank stone axe I found on Dunaverty beach. I also handed in a collection of geological rock and minerals which included semi precious stones which I had collected over years of travel all over the UK, etc which was gathering dust in my loft. These things whilst common place and of no real monetary value would be of interest to tourists and visitors. But it would annoy me if they were sold off to pay for council services I already pay for through 2 seperate and utterly draconian taxation systems.

I think that instead of selling the family silver and throwing the baby out with the water our local elected representatives should be better served looking to remove some of the far too many tiers of uneccessary management that seem to proliferate in local authorities.

They are talking about cutting front line services - as usual - but no mention of shaking the tree and losing a few useless fatcats from the upper branches in the process. There is no democratic process in Argyll when a "Star Chamber" of selected councillors can take it upon themselves to remove the other duly elected councillors from the voting process on matters of public concern. Selling a community's cultural and historical artifacts is just simply something that these duly elected representatives, on any local authority, not just ours, should not even be contemplating.

When I need my bins emptied it's not one of the dozens of Chief Executive Uber-managers that does it - it's one of the frontline services personnel - and for every one of them there's about 5 managers sitting in offices, most of whom, it would appear, can barely chew bubblegum and walk at the same time, if selling the family silver and sacking their hard working charges is their solution to the funding dilemma.

Makes me weep, it honestly rips my knittin. I hope this was just someone inadvertantly voicing their thoughts and not seriously contemplating selling heritage artifacts

[EMDEE]

Just read this post and I am astonished. I thought I'd heard it all, but no.

These items are of significant cultural and local heritage value which far outstrips their monetary value. Many of the archeological artifacts in the museum may even be priceless.

I myself have handed in plant fossils in coal I found on Machrihanish beach and a blank stone axe I found on Dunaverty beach. I also handed in a collection of geological rock and minerals which included semi precious stones which I had collected over years of travel all over the UK, etc which was gathering dust in my loft. These things whilst common place and of no real monetary value would be of interest to tourists and visitors. But it would annoy me if they were sold off to pay for council services I already pay for through 2 seperate and utterly draconian taxation systems.

I think that instead of selling the family silver and throwing the baby out with the water our local elected representatives should be better served looking to remove some of the far too many tiers of uneccessary management that seem to proliferate in local authorities.

They are talking about cutting front line services - as usual - but no mention of shaking the tree and losing a few useless fatcats from the upper branches in the process. There is no democratic process in Argyll when a "Star Chamber" of selected councillors can take it upon themselves to remove the other duly elected councillors from the voting process on matters of public concern. Selling a community's cultural and historical artifacts is just simply something that these duly elected representatives, on any local authority, not just ours, should not even be contemplating.

When I need my bins emptied it's not one of the dozens of Chief Executive Uber-managers that does it - it's one of the frontline services personnel - and for every one of them there's about 5 managers sitting in offices, most of whom, it would appear, can barely chew bubblegum and walk at the same time, if selling the family silver and sacking their hard working charges is their solution to the funding dilemma.

Makes me weep, it honestly rips my knittin. I hope this was just someone inadvertantly voicing their thoughts and not seriously contemplating selling heritage artifacts

Excellent comment Mr Plod! Many institutions are far too top heavy, not least our local authorities. Over the years, what I, as many others have discovered, is that the higher up the hierarchy one gets, the less one actually does, and if anything goes wrong, some subordinate is the one to carry the can, as all that is done by many in "senior management" is the delegation of real work, and thereby responsibility. I often wonder why some people can command the salaries that they get, which are beyond the dreams of avarice. They are certainly not contributing the economic value of their massively inflated salaries to their organisations on a weekly or monthly basis, they are simply a drain on funds, often provided by taxpayers.

Of course, like the banks say, they have to keep paying these astronomical salaries and phenomenal bonuses to certain elevated employees, because they "have to keep the best people, or they would just go elsewhere". FFS! . These are the people who wrecked the banks and almost bankrupted the country. Let them go!

[petewick]

The essential truth is that these items were given to the
community, A+B Council are only the custodians, not the
owners and have no right to suggest selling them.
I am appalled that our elected representative would even
consider this proposition.

[Govangirl]

Totally agree and just wanted to say how brilliant Mr Plod's post was (in fact, all his posts have really entertained me lately! )
Will the people of Campbeltown have a say on this?