The proposed closure of nine of the eleven libraries on the Isle of Wight has raised much interest, from residents as well as the national media.
Several VB readers have been in touch, sharing letters they’ve written to the Secretary of State, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP and the responses received.
One such response, referred to a letter sent recently by the Minister for Culture, Ed Vaizey MP, to all local authorities. In his letter, Mr Vaizey reminds local authorities of their responsibility under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service.
Letter outlines considerations councils must take
We’ve now got hold of a copy of that letter (thanks to Mike) and can share it with you (see below).
Mr Vaizey highlights key findings from the report of a 2009 inquiry into proposed closures of 11 of 24 libraries by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
The outcome is that the following four key considerations need to be taken into account when planning any library closures.
- a statement of what the service is trying to achieve;
- a description of local needs, including the general and specific needs of adults and children who live, work and study in the area;
- a detailed description of how the service will be delivered and how the plans will fully take into account the demography of the area and the different needs of adults and children in different areas (both in general and specific terms);
- the resources available for the service, including an annual budget.
We’ll be contacting the IWC to see whether they feel they’ve met the criteria outlined above, as part of their proposals.
We’d suggest clicking on the ‘Full Screen’ link below for a clearer version of the letter.
