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Port museum has axe lifted
FLEETWOOD Museum will welcome visitors again this summer after the threat of closure was lifted.
A 12-month stay of execution was announced last night as Lancashire County Council revealed an extra 79,000 had been found to save the much-loved port attraction.
Labour councillors also back-pedalled during their annual budget debate on plans to turn the county's under-threat Meals-On-Wheels into a frozen food service.
Pensioners will now have a choice of frozen or fresh meals after the council axed a 1.3m subsidy and raised prices.
From April, a two-course frozen meal will be 2.50 and a hot meal will go up by 1 to 3.20.
There was no lifeline for nine branch libraries, including Warton, which will now close as part of cuts.
The museum was given another year due to a Government Support Grant received by County Hall.
Fleetwood County Coun Keith Riley said: "I'm sure the people of Fleetwood will be over the moon with the breathing space allowed them to set up a charitable trust to run it in the future."
He added: "I would thank the Friends of Fleetwood Museum along with the media who have kept this item in front of the public and given this high profile. This is a great team effort and I'm very proud."
Coun Chris Cheetam, portfolio holder behind the original closure plan, said: "I'm delighted we've been able to provide the people of Fleetwood, who are seeking to create a trust, with an opportunity to have some more time to develop their proposals."
But he stressed it was only a deferment and hoped there would be "busy discussions" in the coming year to hammer out the museum's long-term future.
Cabinet member and Fleetwood County Coun Clive Grunshaw said there was no question of the museum being mothballed for a year and it would continue to operate as normal.
As well as lifting the axe from above the museum, the council also reinstated 200,000 for the Countryside Service, 112,000 for new library books and 225,000 for family and children services.
tom.halstead@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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