Suffolk County Council agree to hold a public consultation

On Thursday 22 February Suffolk County Council announced that it will hold a public consultation on the future of the Record Office Service In Lowestoft. There will be a pre-consultation with local historians and interested parties. This will form the proposals for the public consutation which will begin late spring 2018. While SORO cautiously welcomes this announcement we would have liked to see the closure of the Record Office taken off the table so we would not have a time constraint on us which could limit the available options. We are still committed to retaining a full Record Office Service in the Waveney area. At the Waveney District Council meeting on 22 February a motion was passed that "The council will urgently engage with Lowestoft Town Council and other stakeholders involved with the Heritage Action Zone, to prioritise the renovation and redesign of Lowestoft Town Hall, with a view to including a purpose built facility, if needed, to relocate the Lowestoft Record Office." Several councillors from all parties spoke in support of the motion and it was carried unanimously. The Town Hall requires a lot of work to bring it up to the required standard for a Record Office. It is part of a Heritage Action Zone but other funding will be needed. If that hurdle could be overcome the relocation to the Town Hall is an option that could be considered. We have not saved the Record Office yet but at least with the help of all you SORO supporters we have made the authorities listen to us.