‘I am not convinced the taxpayer for Fife is getting best value’: Fife MSP says trust model not best for cultural venues

A Fife MSP has claimed Fife taxpayers are not getting “best value” from the region’s cultural trust.

Labour MSP Alex Rowley, a former councillor who was leader of  the council between 2012 and 2014, said Fife Cultural Trust’s current review of its operations should look at the “effectiveness or otherwise” of the organisation, which runs theatres, museums and libraries across the region.

“I voted against it being set up all those years ago when the main reason for doing so was to save the council paying money on the rates for the buildings.

“I am not convinced the taxpayer for Fife is getting best value through this set up and the council should be considering a review that starts with asking what it is we are aiming to get for the public from the venues and then how best to achieve that.”

With the closure of theatres, museums and libraries at the start of lockdown, Fife Cultural Trust lost all sources of income and 83 of its staff were furloughed.

Its financial position to the end of March 2020 is a deficit of £776,000, largely owing to running costs and pension liabilities.

The trust, which was formed in 2012 and is also known as OnFife, is conducting a review of its operations with the aim of sustaining services in the long term.

OnFife chief executive Heather Stuart indicated other organisations across the sector are facing the same challenges.

Mr Rowley said: “I think the time is now for a review of the effectiveness or otherwise of this trust.

“Such a review will take time and must involve a proper consultation with the users of the venues and the wider public and must be open to explore all the options.

“The library services were just lumped in and again, how has that worked and is there a disjoint between those services and the wider education and leisure services? Is there a better approach to the large town centre services such as the arts venues and museums and could they be better organised by being run through town centre partnerships?”

Fife Council’s Community and Housing Services Sub-Committee will discuss the trust’s finances on Thursday.

A report to the committee stated despite the financial challenges the trust had “continued to perform well”.