Following yesterday’s High Court rejection of a Judicial Review over library closures, this in from the Bembridge Library Users’ Group, in their own words. Ed
The Bembridge Library Users’ Group is disappointed with the outcome of Tuesday’s leave hearing and is surprised that the judge was not persuaded by the merits of the case presented by Friends of the Isle of Wight Library Service whose hard work and dedication, against such difficult odds, must be acknowledged.
We are however pleased that the hearing did result in a better future for four Isle of Wight libraries even though Bembridge, along with four others, have been left with the same problems.
Triumphalist and distasteful tone from council
Despite the unnecessary triumphalist and slightly distasteful tone of Cllr Abraham’s victory statement, which will not go down well with many ordinary library users in Bembridge, Brighstone and the other locations, the Council has not distinguished itself in the way in which it is dealing with the deficit it faces.
Instead of tackling the real issues of expenditure, such as millions being spent on the refurbishment of its own offices, on discredited PFI schemes and on top heavy management salaries and expenses, it has chosen soft targets … voters and tourists … by cutting front-line services such as libraries, TICs and public toilets.
Front-line services could have been saved
These vital services alone cost a fraction of the overall budget and could well have been retained if it had chosen to incorporate some aspects of the alternative budgets presented to them earlier in the year.
BLUG and its partners and successors remain committed to fight for a fair deal for Bembridge Library users and will continue to insist that its willing volunteers are not given the responsibility for repair and maintenance costs (approx £10,000 a year) that the 30-year full repairing lease they are expected to sign will give them.
TUPE indemnity still not received from council
Our volunteers still remain to be CRB checked, properly insured and indemnified against any action that may be taken by former library staff and ancilliary workers under existing employment legislation. Even after six months, our attempts to receive a written indemnity from the Council have failed.
Our volunteers dearly want to help by supporting existing professional library staff and retaining library services in Bembridge …nothing more, nothing less.
Image: DreamsJung under CC BY 2.0
