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Library inquiry opens as Brent campaigners threaten to sue Vaizey
07.02.12 | Benedicte Page
Public policy consultant Sue Charteris has told the media, culture and sport parliamentary select committee into library closures that Hillingdon libraries have been "a fantastic success" and that the triborough library project run in London is "a model" for the service to follow.
The committee opened its inquiry this morning, with contributions also from Miranda McKearney of The Reading Agency, Andrew Coburn of The Library Campaign and Abigail Barker of Voices for the Library.
Charteris, author of the Charteris report into library closures in the Wirral, warned that local authorities need "a great deal more encouragement and incentivisation from the Secretary of State, the Arts Council and the Local Government Group", to move quickly on borough co-operation.
She also said: "You can't take 20-30% our of the library service and expect it to stay the same, but the more you do it in partnership with your local community, the most you will get robust decision-making and consensus."
But Barker warned that local authorities were not consulting their communities about changes."They aren't consulting the needs of local people. They are saying: 'These are the decisions, if you don't become volunteers, you'll lose libraries,' she said, saying that claims to be making changes to meet the needs of local people was "a lie".
Meanwhile in a new development lawyers acting for campaigners in Brent, who on Friday (3rd February) were denied permission to appeal in the Supreme Court in their legal bid to overturn library closures, have threatened to sue culture minister Ed Vaizey, according to a report in the London Evening Standard.
Lawyers acting for the campaigners have issued a Letter Before Claim to Vaizey in connection with his failure to act over the closures.
Meanwhile a DCMS spokesperson has told the Harrow Observer that a decision on intervening over the Brent closures will be made "soon."
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When will a decision on intervention be made for Gloucestershire? Their library cuts were ruled to be unlawful yet they are making the same mistakes again? Why does the DCMS let people go through the trauma of judicial review before doing anything? They better make a decision on Gloucestershire soon too or what kind of message does that send out? "be found to be in breach of the law and we will leave you alone and look the other way" Disgraceful neglect of duty. Although, DCMS told us back in April that "a decision would be made soon" and here we are months later still waiting.
It would show good judgement were Mr Vaizey to decide to intervene in Gloucestershire. Not to do so, given that the Court found against the council there without GCC responding properly, is wrong. Can the Minister intervene in more than one DCMS 'monitored' area at the same time ? Of course he can. And must.
And does the man on the Clapham omnibus give a toss ? I don't think so.
Historically Vaizey will synonymous with Beeching, history will not be kind to his role the in the decimation of the library service. His complete and utter failure to act after some of his statements in opposition show such breathtaking hypocrisy. By the time he is backed into a corner by all the legal challenges and negative publicity it may be too late (if it isn't already) for some libraries around the UK. I don't know how he looks himself in the mirror.
When will a decision on intervention be made for Gloucestershire? Their library cuts were ruled to be unlawful yet they are making the same mistakes again? Why does the DCMS let people go through the trauma of judicial review before doing anything? They better make a decision on Gloucestershire soon too or what kind of message does that send out? "be found to be in breach of the law and we will leave you alone and look the other way" Disgraceful neglect of duty. Although, DCMS told us back in April that "a decision would be made soon" and here we are months later still waiting.
It would show good judgement were Mr Vaizey to decide to intervene in Gloucestershire. Not to do so, given that the Court found against the council there without GCC responding properly, is wrong. Can the Minister intervene in more than one DCMS 'monitored' area at the same time ? Of course he can. And must.
And does the man on the Clapham omnibus give a toss ? I don't think so.
Historically Vaizey will synonymous with Beeching, history will not be kind to his role the in the decimation of the library service. His complete and utter failure to act after some of his statements in opposition show such breathtaking hypocrisy. By the time he is backed into a corner by all the legal challenges and negative publicity it may be too late (if it isn't already) for some libraries around the UK. I don't know how he looks himself in the mirror.