Those of you on Arachne who were kind enough to show an interest when I told you of the threat of closure to the Textile Conservation Centre, formerly at Hampton Court and now based at Southampton University, may be interested to hear the Government's response:
"Public funding for higher education will have increased by 30% in real terms between 1997 and 2010. Southampton University is receiving its fair share of the total level of government funding and now operates on a total annual budget of some £325 million. Within that total, it is solely responsible for deciding on its mission and strategy including which departments and centres it opens, closes, expands or contracts, taking account of competing priorities and student demand. The Government notes that the University has paid tribute to the significant achievements of the Textile Conservation Centre before and since becoming part of the University and it supports the work of the University and the Centre to look at solutions to the problems which have been identified but it is not the Government's role to override the decisions of the University on this issue." So "not interested" from Westminster and it obviously depends on whether the University itself decide the Centre is important enough to give them a big enough share of funds to remain open. Probably not, or they wouldn't have thought of closing it in the first place. Or do we still need to shout louder than the supporters of the other departments who are after the same purse. Jacquie in Lincolnshire - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
