Board keeps assets

Bunbury City Council and the former managers of the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries are locked in a stoush over the future of thousands of dollars in assets and equipment for the galleries.

This comes after the council took over management of the galleries from the independent Bunbury Regional Arts Management Board on Tuesday.

The board has filed a petition with the council calling on it to reverse its decision. This is set to be debated at next Tuesday’s council meeting but Mayor Gary Brennan has said “there is no going back”.

However, the council wants BRAMB to handover thousands of dollars in equipment and assets used in the gallery.

Mr Brennan said much of this was funded by the council or the State Government and it should be returned.

“I am at the stage where I want to let the officers run their discussions with BRAMB to see what negotiated outcome can be achieved, ” he said.

“Let me say this, there is a reasonable argument that if assets have been acquired through funding from the City and the State Government, those assets should be returned to the City or the State Government.”

However, BRAMB chairman Beth Ferguson said the group’s constitution would only allow it to hand over assets to similar incorporated bodies or charities.

She said the board was bound legally and by its constitution.

“There are significant assets involved which are owned by BRAMB, ” Ms Ferguson said.

“The board is committed to negotiating an outcome that supports the arts community throughout the South West region, because that is what we have diligently done for the past 18 years.”

Meanwhile, the Art Gallery of WA is negotiating a three-year deal with the council for arts funding worth about $170,000 a year.

This is the similar level of annual funding that was given to BRAMB as managers of the art galleries over the past decade, Ms Ferguson said.

The funding must be used for providing public access to Bunbury’s art collection and promoting arts in the Bunbury region.

Nearly all of the employees at the galleries have taken up a contract with the council.

The council made the controversial decision to take control of Bunbury’s major art gallery and stop funding BRAMB in February.