We always welcome a Letter to The Editor, this one from Ian Anstice of Public Libraries News in relation to Cllr David Pugh giving oral evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. In his own words. Ed
Dear Editor,
I found it most interesting that Cllr Pugh will be testifying before the Inquiry into Library Closures, considering that his council tried to close nine out of eleven libraries last year, the biggest cuts of any authority in the UK.
As you know, it was only after the inevitable outcry, that the proposals were changed so that five branches had to be be run by volunteers instead. An attempt by campaigners to take the case to court had to be cancelled due to failure to secure legal funding.
Your readers should watch out for Mr Pugh saying how wonderful the volunteer model in local communities and what a great saving it is. He may also, if he is brave, defend the council’s initial decision and hope that the council’s impact assessment is not mentioned.
“Last year at its worst”
In truth, the Isle of Wight is a great example of last year at its worst: from what I can tell from the media reports, the council appears to have decided on cuts without sufficient consultation or assessment and only u-turned after massive public protest and then blackmailed local communities into working for free or facing closure of their library, in a parody of the Big Society ideal.
The failure of the DCMS to show much interest beyond one meeting, let alone think of intervening, even when the Council was proposing an almost complete annihilation of the service and then the subsequent demonstration that the Courts were only available to the wealthy in such cases pretty much completes the set.
How much of this comes out, though, is another matter and, certainly, Cllr Pugh, in my view, is going to put as good a gloss on it as possible.
I look forward to watching his performance, and that of the Select Committee, with interest.
Regards
Ian Anstice, Public Libraries News
The Select Committee meeting will be broadcast through Parliament.Tv from 10.30am on Tuesday 21st February.
Image: Evan Forester under CC BY 2.0
