Plans launched to create new records office in Bury St Edmunds after crunch meeting

Hopes that West Suffolk archives can be retained in Bury St Edmunds have taken a major step forward.

Following a meeting last week, The Bury Society is looking into the possibility of founding a charitable body to build and run a new facility in the town.

Suffolk County Council took the decision to close the archives branch in Raingate Street in February, as part of sweeping budget cuts in its annual budget meeting.

A campaign was launched however by The Bury Society and Suffolk News, after upset in the town that rare archives, including historic manuscripts, maps, photographs, parish and borough records, as well as artefacts from major collections, will be moved to the new purpose-built Suffolk Archives facility based in The Hold, Ipswich.

Suffolk County Council began the process of closing the branch this week.

Now, The Bury Society has announced it is is looking into the possibility of setting up a charitable body with a view to raising money to create a new archives facility at West Suffolk House.

Martyn Taylor, chair of the Bury St Society said: “Following the decision to close the Bury St Edmunds record office, we understand that some 21 bodies notified Suffolk County Council that they would like to retain their records in Bury, if a new archive could be established in the town.

“Some 27 organisations have now indicated to the Bury Society and the Bury Town Trust that they would be interested in being involved in the creation of a new archive – 12 of these bodies met last week to discuss taking the matter forward.

“The meeting was also attended by a representative of West Suffolk Council, which has helpfully offered to provide space for the new archive, in West Suffolk House, that is jointly owned with Suffolk County Council, whose consent will also be required and with whom the bodies seeking to retain the archives in Bury are keen to cooperate.

“The purpose of the meeting was to establish a working party to examine the possibility of forming a charitable organisation to create the new archive.

“This would be a a major task that will require extensive initial fund-raising to create an archive that accords with current national standards and thereafter annual funding to staff and to maintain the premises.”

The meeting on Thursday was attended by groups including Bury Town Trust, The Bury St Edmunds Heritage Trust, St Edmunds Catholic Church history group and West Suffolk Hospital archives group.

Some the organisation wishing to retain their archives in Bury include a number of organisations outside of the the town ,including Mildenhall Museum and Long Melford Historical Society.

Suffolk County Council has stated ahat closing the Raingate Street branch, along with the archives office in Lowestoft, would save the council around £140,000 a year.

Mr Taylor said creating and maintaining the new archive would cost a ‘considerable’ amount of money, but that it would allow the majority of the archives currently at the West Suffolk branch to be retained in town.

Suffolk County Council began the process of closing the Bury branch this week.

Mr Taylor, who will chair the working party, added: “We will be investigating the proposal in more detail and reporting back in due course to the 27 bodies that have expressed a wish to retain their archives in Bury.

“The investigative process will be a substantial task, requiring not only a detailed assessment of the volume of the documents and publications that need to be stored but also the specification for and cost of the structure to be created within West Suffolk House. It is expected to take a few months.

“Once the detailed investigation has been completed the interested bodies will take a final decision as to whether to proceed with the new archive.”

Suffolk County Council says centralising the three branches into one brings Suffolk in line with the majority of archive services across the country and will enable it to deliver a service that is ‘better value for taxpayers’ money.

Councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for environment, communities and equality said: “After the closure of the West Suffolk and North-East branches of Suffolk Archives was announced, SCC arranged Working Party meetings with key depositors.

“The purpose of the meetings was to explore and advise on community-led proposals to keep some collections in their original areas of origin. We can confirm that The Bury Society and Bury Town Trust were involved in these discussions and that they continue to explore alternative options.

“Alongside West Suffolk Council, we have indicated our willingness, as potential landlords, to explore the use of West Suffolk House as a new home for local led proposals, provided that there are no capital or revenue implications for the two authorities.”