[Acrylic-bob]

Neither HBC nor Accrington Borough Council, which preceded it, have had much time for Howarth Art Gallery. I have the suspicion that if it wasn't for the collection of Tiffay Glass the house would have gone the way of Arden Hall and Rhyddings Hall long ago. This is a great pity. Norman Potter did his best during his time as Curator but struggling against council indifference and lack of funding meant that it was an uphill battle all the way.

The performance of the current curator, Jennifer Rennie, inspires little confidence. She appears to be content to let Mid Pennine Arts make all the decisions, as do HBC. Once again the people of Hyndburn are shortchanged because the council are incapable of exercising any kind of imagination. If the constant cry is "we cannot afford it", why then are they not constantly petitioning the National Lottery to help out?

Haworth Art Gallery, and it's contents, belong to the people of Accrington. It was given to us by the Haworth's to be an imperishable resource to provide recreation and to improve the quality of our lives. Accrington Borough Council, and their successors HBC, were given the task of managing it and enriching it on our behalf. But, as with so many such responsibilities, the Arts and culture are the first things to go when cash is required to fund projects that are considered politically expedient.

Perhaps the proposals contained in the "Ambition Lancashire" plan will make a difference, now that HBC is constrained to consider the need to increase tourism in the borough. But, as has been observed in many other threads, if they can manage to evade their responsibilities for thirty years there seems little hope that they will begin to take them seriously again any time soon. And whatever improvement is seen will be cosmetic at best.