.
Today, in 'This Is Cornwall': http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Libraries-pound-5m-privatisation/story-1... it is reported that Jim Currie, Cabinet member for corporate resources, spoke out against the deal, saying: "It's impossible not to notice the vast number of ends that have not been tied off. We're initiating something where we don't know what the outcome is going to be." David Biggs, chairman of the panel that has scrutinised the project so far, told the meeting: "You now take a leap of faith."

Why is it proper that taxpayers are to finance a "leap of faith" ? One might assume that most individuals on the Council would be wary of responding to a cold-caller by committing all their personal resources to a risky enterprise - An ISA or two, some premium bonds and a few other cautious investments might be their limit after careful consultation. But they are not risking their own money. Also, few of them may have considered how private companies will profit from the deals and, in the case of Libraries, emulate what has apparently occurred over the course of time in Hounslow. Unless, of course, councillors have visited that town, seen for themselves - and subsequently reported to residents and library users on what might be in store for them ?

But the fact remains that, if those holding the public purse-strings want to do the equivalent of proving whether the earth is flat or an oblate spheroid; whether it was created in 6 days or over millennia -- and if they cannot bring proofs to bear to convince taxpayers that in this adventure with their cash they are acting rationally and wisely - then they should desist -- and look at ways (which are proven and many) to run Council services efficiently and properly, for the greater good of residents in the long term, themselves.