News

Campaigners begin legal battle over Surrey library cuts

03.01.12 | Charlotte Williams

Surrey Libraries Action Movement (SLAM) has become the latest library campaign to begin legal action against its county council, initiating action against Surrey County Council over its plans to staff ten of the counties' 52 libraries with volunteers, calling their future into question if not enough library volunteers are found.

Public Interest Lawyers sent a pre-action protocol letter on 30th December to SCC c.e.o. David McNulty for the purposes of a judicial review.

A statement posted on the SLAM campaigners' website said: "We are challenging SCC's decision-making process and their lack of scrutiny, both of which we believe to be inadequate and unlawful. We have taken this action with great reluctance, having exhausted all other means of trying to hold SCC to account over their library plans."

It added: "We have also become exasperated at SCC's avoidance of any discussion or consultation with Surrey residents on the library plans, and also the council's increasing hostility towards legitimate protest—blocking SLAM's emails, and witholding information in relation to Freedom of Information requests, to name just two examples."

The statement called for donations to its "fighting fund" in order to continue with the legal action, with organisers saying this felt they had been "given no other choice than to hold SCC to account by pursuing legal action".

The libraries due to be run by volunteers are Bagshot, Bramley, Byfleet, Ewell Court, Lingfield, New Haw, Stoneleigh, Tattenhams, Virginia Water, and Warlingham. They will operate as a pilot in financial year 2012-13 so their success can be assessed.

Surrey County Council had earlier reversed a decision to hand over a further nine libraries in Surrey to volunteers. It also had to put a stop to councillors filtering emails from the SLAM chair, Mike Alsop.

Trackback URL for this post:

http://www.thebookseller.com/trackback/88001

Comments: Scroll down for the latest comments and to have your say

By posting on this website you agree to the Bookseller comments policy. Comments go direct to live please be relevant, brief and definitely not abusive. Report any "unsuitable comments by clicking the links"

Sort: Oldest first | Newest first | Readers' most recommended

By Lee Godfrey (SLAM)

Thank you for running this story. We are still very hopeful that, at some point, Ed Vaizey will act and put libraries nationally on a much firmer footing. He hasn't done anything yet but he can't just keep sitting back and watching it all happen.

Have you got a contact email address, by the way, so we can send you the latest news? We are happy to share the pre-action letter with you

Tue, 03/01/2012 - 11:46
By Philip Jones

Thanks Lee, send it to me at philip.jones@bookseller.co.uk. Good luck with the campaign.

Tue, 03/01/2012 - 12:23
By Gordon Cummings

There is a little good news from Cambridgshire, where thirteen libraries were under threat. Because of people pressure, (and a change of cabinet members), none will bnow close or be required to be run by volunteers, but hours will be cut and professional staff number reduced. Small mercies!!

Tue, 03/01/2012 - 13:00
By Kathleen

Libraries are the foundation for healthy community growth, and intelectual exploration. I hope citizens in your country rise up in spirited civic engagement. We have our own struggles in Canada, but our children's librarians have given freely an enormous cultural heritage with their storytelling, booktalking, and intelligent guidance to sailors who have embarked on the vast sea of the Internet without maps or GPS tools.

Library staff as lifelong learners are catalysts for creativity, innovation, and inclusiveness, so the gifts of all eventually may benefit the community. Long live libraries, as they morph in amazing ways to keep us all learning.

Sun, 08/01/2012 - 20:37
By Kathleen

A small correction: that should be intellectual exploration!

Sun, 08/01/2012 - 20:39

Post new comment

Due to persistent spam problems we are now asking users to register before submitting comments. If you have already registered or are a subscriber then please log in now. Otherwise you can use the simple form below to register when you submit your comment. Your comment will go live once you click the validation link in the email. Comments still go live without moderation.
You should use this name when logging into your account.
This name will be displayed when you comment on the site.
The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <br> <p> <img>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

More information about formatting options

Type the characters you see in this picture. (verify using audio)
Type the characters you see in the picture above; if you can't read them, submit the form and a new image will be generated. Not case sensitive.

Latest Jobs

Editor
Quid Publishing, part of the Quarto...
Competitive
Assistant Editor
The Royal Academy of Arts is one of...
£23,950 plus attractive benefits
Sales Manager: Healthcare
A prestigious scientific membership...
Available on request
 

TheBookseller