Plea For More Funds To Run Marlborough Museum

Saturday, 22 March 2025, 7:51 pm
Article: Maia Hart - Local Democracy Reporter

20 March

The Marlborough District Council is on a funding “merry-go-round” after agreeing to draw up a budget for an annual grant for the Marlborough Museum.

The council ran the museum for about six months from December 2023 after a review of the Marlborough Historical Society, which had struggled with the costs of managing such a large asset.

However, the society was not happy and asked for it back. Management of the museum was returned to the society after long-term plan deliberations last year.

The council’s economic, finance and community committee on Tuesday discussed submissions to the annual plan, during which the council agreed to put together a budget for the society.

The society had submitted to the annual plan, requesting an annual budget that allowed the museum to operate as it had in previous years.

They wanted the museum open every day and managed by professional and volunteer staff.

It also requested funding for a feasibility study and business plan to determine the strategies and budgets necessary to ensure the long-term survival and development of the museum.

The society also requested the development of a sustainable governance arrangement which recognised the “mutually dependent” roles of the council and society.

At the meeting, Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor moved to roll over a $40,000 grant which the council approved as a one-off during long-term plan deliberations last year. Only $10,000 of it had been released so far as both groups were still negotiating some of the conditions.

“I think it's important that we signal that we want to give ongoing support to the museum,” Taylor said.

She suggested a budget paper be brought back to council after they confirmed $40,000 was enough, as the council did not have enough information about the museum’s operating expenses.

Wairau-Awatere ward councillor Sally Arbuckle said the historical society had come back every annual plan asking for “more and more” budget.

“That is why we then went into the review, as far as I am aware … and looked at bringing it all in and running it,” Arbuckle said.

“That did not happen, due to what happened. Now I feel like we are back in the same boat again ... back to the annual plan and [they’re] asking for more budget like a merry-go-round.

“I understand that we want to support them, we need to support them. But I am still mindful of the fact that we need to set a budget and stick with that budget going forward, not constantly every annual plan reviewing this budget and adding more and more.”

Deputy mayor and committee chairperson David Croad said it was a good point.

“The reality is we're dealing with organisations with varying views and different people and personalities,” he said.

“We have reset as per the long-term plan last year, and that reset has looked at them and treated them in the same way as all other museums and organisations in the region.

“So our responsibility is to the heritage of Marlborough as a whole, and that's why this review and the strategy around that moving forward is important.“

The council was in the middle of engaging with the public for its heritage review, which would help form its 10-year heritage strategy.

It would consider how to support the sector as a whole, including regional museums in Picton, Renwick, Flaxbourne and Havelock alongside the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum and Marlborough Museum.

Croad said while the work was being completed, they needed to support the museum in the interim.

Marlborough Historical Society president Paul Davidson said the good news was the museum was back to being an “interesting and important” facility.

“The bad news is we are doing this on a minimum budget and in danger of wearing out the volunteers.

“So it is a short-term solution, but in the end we need a solid partnership with council. We’re hoping for a positive response to our submission to the council.”

He said it was no secret they needed $330,000 to run the museum professionally. While they did not expect to get all of that from the council, they were currently running on $10,000.

The museum was open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm.

The museum was the only organisation the council signalled it would look to give funding to through the annual plan, although some smaller requests, such as providing a shade shelter at the Renwick dog park, were also being worked through.

All requests were still subject to full council sign-off.

Some suggestions were referred to the long-term plan working group.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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