The lack of response from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to library campaigners across the country was raised last week by Labour’s Shadow Culture Minister, Dan Jarvis MP.
He expressed concerns that campaigners in Lewisham had been waiting up to two years for a decision from Government Ministers. Adding that campaigners from the Isle of Wight have also been waiting more than a year for a follow-up response from the DCMS.
Lack of transparency serves neither councils nor communities
He said, “The Government does not seem to take seriously their responsibilities for a service which thousands of hard working communities across the country rely on, and which is a particular lifeline in these tough times for the most vulnerable in society – for job seekers, families with young children, for kids without a place to work at home, for anyone who can’t afford to go online.
“I do not ask or expect that a full-scale statutory inquiry be launched in every case where libraries are being closed. But at the very least, people have a right to expect is that the system works in a way that is transparent, timely and meaningful.
“The confusion, ineffectiveness and lack of transparency we’ve seen serves neither councils nor communities.”
No word from Vaizey
Member of the Friends of Isle of Wight Libraries, Dave Quigley, told VB, “We are still waiting for a decision. When the first letters were written, we all had the same basic reply, “we are looking at each case on an individual basis”.
“Following that we’ve had nothing at all from Ed Vaizey or the DCMS. It seems we are in an ever-increasing number of campaigners are in the same boat.”
Image: Dan Jarvis
