MUSEUMS in Hampshire could be run by a new organisation aimed at making the most of the county’s heritage.

Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council are forging ahead with plans to form the Hampshire Solent Cultural Trust.

But Southampton City Council has pulled out of the negotiations, with civic chiefs saying the council cannot afford to become part of the trust.

Negotiations between the three authorities and Portsmouth City Council to form a trust began back in 2010.

Although Portsmouth dropped out of the race within a year, the other three worked together towards creating a charitable company that would run all three authorities’ arts, museums and heritage services, as well as bringing in outside investment.

But following negotiations earlier this year, Southampton was forced to pull out due to the financial implications.

Fully integrating the city council’s arts and heritage team within the new trust would have cost the authority more than £1m each year, while merging back office and staff services would cost £860,000 annually.

City leisure and economic development boss Matt Tucker said that other services in his £6m portfolio, such as sports activities, would have suffered if Southampton joined the trust.

He said: “We don’t want to be in a position where other parts of the budget suffer because of this.

“If we were in a better financial situation working as a large group would be helpful, but at the moment it would have a disproportionate impact on other areas of the budget.

“That’s not to say we won’t ever consider it, and we continue to enjoy partnerships with Hampshire County Council.”

Among the events being jointly-organised by the authorities is a programme of cultural events to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

Cllr Tucker added that he was talking to chiefs at Portsmouth City Council about greater arts and heritage cooperation, and would be asking community groups in Southampton for their views on how the city can make the most out of its historic and artistic assets.

In a joint statement, Hampshire and Winchester councils said: “While it is unfortunate that Southampton City Council has made the decision due to financial constraints not to proceed with the plans to form a Hampshire Solent Cultural Trust, Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council remain fully on board with the project and will continue to progress the option of forming a trust through council decision making processes.”