From Len McDonald. Help!
 
Can I consult you wearing another hat? I am, for some awful sins committed in the past, Chair of the St Helens Historical Society, and I discovered from some of our members that the St Helens Metropolitan District Council refused to allow access to most of the records it inherited in 1974 when the Metroplitan County Councils were set up in 1974.
 
The new Council inherited the records of two urban district councils, half a rural district council and the old St Helens Borough Corporation, established 1868. While they are happy to allow access to the urban and rural district councils they will not allow acceess the Borough Corporation records. The answer is always that access is denied from the 1930s onwards.
 
I have been fighting the current Chief Executive on this matter for some months now and keep getting fobbed with off with some of the feeblest excuses I've ever heard. At present I'm told the decision will be reviewed in the autumn. Well, it's that season now.
 
I looked very hard at the Guidance on "proper arrangements" for archives which has been published on the DETR website, and it is no help at all.
    3.1 Proper arrangements should encompass the preservation of the records, including storage and conservation; and the provision of access . . .  for enabling members of the public to consult the records (subject to any restrictions) under supervision".
 
I've tried embarassing the council by asking the leader of the council why the Labour Group are so reluctant to let the public see how Labour ran the old Corporation. What have they got to hide, I asked? He says they've nothing to hide, and that was when the Chief Executive suddenly got more co-operative and promised to review the situation in the autumn.
 
Before I take the Council on again, can anybody give me some help in this, please ? Wigan has opened their pre-1974 records, has anybody else?
 
Len McDonald
46 Weaver Ave
Rainhill
PRESCOT, Merseyside
Phone: 0151-426 5273
Mobile: 07775 914796
e-mail: [log in to unmask]