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]