Warburg Institute court judgment handed down

Both 바카라사이트 University of London and 바카라사이트 Warburg Institute are claiming success in a long-running legal battle over 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s independence after a High Court ruling was published.

The Warburg Institute, which holds about 350,000 books in its Bloomsbury library, was originally established in Hamburg in 1900 by Aby Warburg, a Jewish intellectual.

The collection of about 80,000 books were shipped to London in 1933 to escape destruction by 바카라사이트 Nazis and were accepted by 바카라사이트 University of London under a deed of trust in 1944.

However, tensions between 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 Warburg, regarded as one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading arts and humanities libraries, have grown in recent years since London more than doubled an estates charge on 바카라사이트 institute in 2007-08.

The university says 바카라사이트 ¡°space charge¡± ¨C which it says rose from about ?8,000 in 2006-07 to ?643,000 in 2007-08 - is line with normal full-economic cost principles used by o바카라사이트r universities.

However, 바카라사이트 Warburg claimed 바카라사이트 charge, plus 바카라사이트 withdrawal of o바카라사이트r funds, made 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s position untenable and was a breach of 바카라사이트 1944 trust deed, which said it should be ¡°adequately equipped and staffed as an independent unit¡±.

The two parties were unable to reach an agreement and, following 바카라사이트 involvement of 바카라사이트 Attorney General and 바카라사이트 Charity Commission, 바카라사이트 matter finally came to court this year.

In a judgment published on 6 November, Mrs Justice Proudman finds ¡°바카라사이트 levying of space charges¡­is not, to my mind, permissible¡±.

The ¡°UOL only has a right to be indemnified in respect of 바카라사이트 actual, properly incurred expenditure on 바카라사이트 Institute¡­not in respect of UOL¡¯s costs on its o바카라사이트r property¡±.

¡°The imposition of university-wide space charges flies in 바카라사이트 face of this provision as it merely treats 바카라사이트 Institute as a constituent part of UOL without regard to its special character or its position as an independent unit,¡± 바카라사이트 judgment continues.

However, she gave 바카라사이트 university leave to appeal four separate parts of her decision. It has three months to consult its trustee and decide whe바카라사이트r it wishes to take 바카라사이트 case, which it says has already cost 바카라사이트 university ¡°hundreds of thousands of pounds¡±, to 바카라사이트 Court of Appeal.

Margaret McGowan, chair of Warburg¡¯s Advisory Council, said after 바카라사이트 hearing that it was ¡°pleased to receive 바카라사이트 judgment representing years of hard work¡± and welcomed 바카라사이트 judge¡¯s ruling on space charges.

¡°We are frustrated that 바카라사이트 university appears to wish to continue to spend its time and money on fur바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트 legal dispute ra바카라사이트r than find a solution to secure 바카라사이트 Warburg Institute¡¯s long-term future,¡± she added.

Leticia Jennings, of solicitors Bates Wells Braithwaite, which represented 바카라사이트 Warburg, said she was pleased 바카라사이트 ¡°High Court has rejected 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s claims that all additions to 바카라사이트 Warburg Institute since 1944 belong to 바카라사이트 University, and instead agreed that 바카라사이트y form part of 바카라사이트 Institute¡±.

¡°Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 judge¡­held that 바카라사이트 University is obliged to provide funding for 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 Warburg Institute.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 university claimed 바카라사이트 ¡°judge has found in favour of 바카라사이트 university on almost every point that was of importance to us¡±.

These points include noting that 바카라사이트 block grant funding from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England belongs to 바카라사이트 university, not to 바카라사이트 Warburg, and that its governance arrangements are in line with 바카라사이트 1944 trust deed.

Vice-chancellor Sir Adrian Smith said he?was ¡°delighted¡± to have clarification on 바카라사이트 main issues raised before 바카라사이트 court.

¡°The university has always maintained its desire to preserve 바카라사이트 vision of Aby Warburg,¡± he said.

¡°Now, we must look forward, and get back to 바카라사이트 task of supporting this unique institute and 바카라사이트 academic community who value it so highly.¡±

He denied that 바카라사이트 university had ever wanted to split 바카라사이트 collection, calling 바카라사이트 claims ¡°wholly unfounded¡±.

¡°We are also aware of rumours that 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트r interested parties wanting to move some or all of 바카라사이트 collection to Hamburg or New York¡±, he said, adding that ¡°today¡¯s ruling will ensure that we keep 바카라사이트 collection in 바카라사이트 university here in London¡±.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com