Petition update

Open letter to Wiltshire County Council

Everyone deserves music
Carshalton, ENG, United Kingdom
Mar 12, 2015
Dear Wiltshire County Council, It was interesting to read your views on the cuts to Wiltshire Music Service in your letter to the Salisbury Journal, published on Thursday 12th March. Unfortunately we don't think that the opinions of the 4,506 people who have signed the petition have been listened to. We’d be grateful if you could publicly respond to the following questions and concerns as they have been raised by a number of people across Wiltshire. Our concerns and questions are: Why are you breaking up a valuable team of professionally trained music teachers? What will you do if they don’t opt to go self-employed in Wiltshire but instead seek work in different areas of the UK that still value and invest in music? One of the biggest assets to the Wiltshire Music Service is the musical instrument loan. Will this go if there are no staff to arrange this? Music teachers will be under no obligation to facilitate it. Are you aware that 40% of Music GCSE and A Level exams are based on instrumental performance, which relies heavily on the influence of Wiltshire Music Service’s peripatetic music teachers? Are you prepared to see Music results fall? Have you considered that contracted staff currently give up holidays and weekends for rehearsals, concerts and tours? With your proposed changes these will have to be paid for or they simply won’t happen at all. How will you ensure that children of low-middle income families and children in rural communities won't be affected by the changes? Our understanding is that Arts Council funding is given for a limited period, such as a three year term. As you will know, arts grants are incredibly competitive and evidence based – what happens if the Wiltshire Music Hub misses out on future grants? How can you guarantee that there will always be funding? We understand the Music Hub will need to commission agencies to deliver services such as First Access group teaching (a service allowing everyone access to music tuition from trained music teachers). If this is the case, why are they not commissioning Wiltshire Music Service to do this? Have you actually spoken to schools? When were they asked their views and are they really comfortable with the move? We urge you and the media to talk to schools. Are you currently in a consultation period? What other options have you considered during this period? So far we don’t feel you have listened to the views of the 4,506 people who have signed the petition. Will you reconsider your decision to cut Wiltshire Music Service and will you be hosting a meeting to discuss the cuts for all parties concerned? We look forward to your response, Save Wiltshire Music

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