BUNGLING councils could spell the closure of the crisis-hit Museum of Oxford from April 1.

It takes about £85,000 a year to keep the museum in St Aldate's open and neither city nor county council is prepared to budget for that amount.

Hard-up Oxfordshire County Council said last year that it could not afford to keep the museum open without financial help. The city council, which owns the museum premises, found £40,000 for running costs in 1997/98.

County council officers understood that the city would continue to fund the museum this year but now, to their dismay, the city council has pulled out. In turn, the city council accuses the county of bumping up the museum's running costs.

Councillor Bob Price, chairman of the city council's finance committee, said: "The county council, whether deliberately or through not getting things right, seems to be trying to dump costs on us, which are not the kind of things we ought to be asked to pay."

Tom Forrest, the county council's director of leisure and arts, said if the city didn't come to the rescue the museum would close.

There is nothing for the museum in either the county or city councils' budgets but Cllr Price said if city councillors decided it was worth keeping open, it could be funded from the city's cash balances.

The reason for the city council's failure to commit itself to continued funding seems to be that councillors were not satisfied with a report about ways of improving the museum and asked officers to gather more information.

"We've asked the officers to come back and give us a comprehensive review of where we stand," Mr Price said.

City council leader Mr Stan Taylor told the Oxford Mail: "We put about £40,000 a year in but the figures that were quoted to us were so high to keep it going that we weren't able to put it in the budget this year.

"It was no good us saying to the county we might be able to do something. We had to say to them we hadn't put any money aside. We hope to salvage something."

If that happens five jobs will go, although it is hoped other positions can be found for the staff. The part of the collection that belongs to the county council will go to its store in Standlake.

"The arrangement the city had come to to fund the museum this year is not being continued into next year and so the museum is going to have to close," Mr Forrest said.

"I don't ascribe blame to any party on this one, it is simply the case. All the indications were that they were looking for a long term, sustainable plan.

"The city council have now confirmed to me that they had no budget provision and that I should take what actions were necessary. It is terribly tragic."

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