Neil Mendoza , who led the review of museums in England, says the sector isn’t doing so badly. Plus Duncan Wilson , chief executive of Historic England, says his organisation will support local authorities

I am writing in response to your editorial (15 November) on my review into the museums sector. I do not deny that there are some museums in some places that do face financial challenges, but what I found when looking at the sector of 1,312 accredited museums across England was a much more positive picture, with many museums producing wonderful work. Local authority museums account for about a quarter of the total number in England but we should also not forget that the majority of museums are independent, like the stunning SS Great Britain in Bristol or the innovatory Beamish Museum in County Durham. Our university museums are thriving, as are the many museums run by the National Trust and English Heritage.

Many cities and towns like Manchester, Leeds, Exeter, Bristol and Newcastle have strong museum services. I defy anyone not to be thrilled by Barnsley Museums’ Elsecar Heritage Centre or Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Hull City of Culture has helped the city show off to the nation its Ferens Art Gallery, Maritime Museum and Wilberforce House Museum. The world-class Bowes Museum is a beautiful example of a museum supported by an innovative and entrepreneurial arrangement with Durham county council.

Almost £1bn of public funding is not trivial and the review identified 16 different sources of funding from public-sector support – from central government investment to tax breaks. My review recommends that government and its funding agencies, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England, work closely together to ensure that funds are allocated in a strategic and joined-up way to best benefit the museums sector. I am confident that they will take this recommendation on and continue to support museums across the country that will inspire and educate not just people today but generations to come.

Neil Mendoza

London

• It’s not often that public service chiefs are moved to write to newspapers to praise their editorials. But your analysis of the complex business of the identity of place is spot-on. We should not be too despairing, however, about the need for local authorities to make the false choice you describe between “essential services” and the apparent luxury of cultural institutions. Around England we are seeing brave and intelligent approaches from local bodies who understand the way local identity and place-making are vital to creating the economic conditions needed to fund essential services. Working with partners like Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund, we mean to support the approach wholeheartedly.

Duncan Wilson

Chief executive, Historic England

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