Museum at Risk

Dear friends and visitors of Congleton Museum,

Alongside the many positive developments that continue to take place, we also feel it is important to share some more difficult news. At present, the museum has been formally put “at risk” by Arts Council England, and we believe you have the right to be informed about the situation.

This relates to the actions of one of the trustees, who was also among the founders of the museum. On 30 October, this trustee, together with a separate group of members, signed a letter purporting to suspend all other trustees and to call a general meeting.

The Board of Trustees sought external expertise from governance and heritage consultant Jane Walton, recommended to us by Museum Development North, who carried out an independent investigation, and from legal adviser Sean Egan, recommended to us by the Association of Independent Museums. Their findings concluded that both the suspension and the subsequent changing of the locks at the museum were unconstitutional.

A key recommendation from Jane Walton, who has been investigating the situation at the museum since October 2024, is that “the Trust submit a serious incident report to the Charity Commission and seek advice which enables them to dismiss Ian Doughty as a trustee.”

An Extraordinary General Meeting will take place on 1 December, at which these matters will be discussed.

For those attending the meeting, or for anyone who wishes to join the museum as a member to take part in these decisions, we strongly encourage you to familiarise yourselves with the museum’s Articles of Association — to understand what is constitutional and what is not, and to ensure that no further breaches of the governing document occur.

At the link below, you will find both the Articles themselves and, most importantly, a concise set of answers to key questions about governance.

https://www.congletonmuseum.co.uk/congleton-museum-trust-governance-faq/