Boom time for KidderminsterDown on Piano Square

	Sunday, 11 December 2011
	Libraries need our help
	by Stephen Brown

The Culture Media and Sport Select Committee has announced they are conducting an inquiry into library closures. The Committee is inviting written submissions and requesting views on the following issues:

• What constitutes a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service for the 21st century



• The extent to which planned library closures are compatible with the requirements of the Libraries & Museums Act 1964 and the Charteris Report [into the 2009 Wirral closures]



• The impact library closures have on local communities



• The effectiveness of the Secretary of State's powers of intervention under the Public Libraries & Museums Act 1964

If we blurfers in Wyre Forest can get our act together maybe we can make a submission on behalf of the 'agenda'?

The deadline for written submissions to be made to the Select Committee is Thursday, 12 January 2012.

Sources:
Anon. (2011); 'Culture, Media and Sport Committee calls for evidence on library closures'; UK Parliament, 23 November 2011

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Comments:

Tav 10 Dec 2011

Thanks Stephen for bring this to our intention. I agree I think if we can pull something together we can make a submission to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Stephen Brown 11 Dec 2011

My intention is to get a bare bones submission together, hopefully with some assistance from experts, over the next couple of weeks and then maybe folks can post on here and we can incorporate the key points? Anyone's particular experiences, comments etc. on Wyre Forest Libraries and where they seem to be heading is welcome. Any final document going in the name of the Agenda, if everyone is ok with that?

Neil Harman 11 Dec 2011

Jon D could give some insight here. I think it will be important to focus on the alternative services the libraries provide over and above the books. This was quite a high feature of the recent high court battle and them there Bristolians that have got this fight off to a superb start.

Jon D 11 Dec 2011

Ok, how about in light of England's history & tradition of individualism over society the library remains one of the few remaining focal points of our community. Now that the pub is fast disappearing as one, it is imperative that we retain at least something that contains a spark of community in that it brings people together to share a local resource to the betterment & enlightenment of all. Of course this is going to flat line (like the economy - oops, couldn't resist it) in the mind of a professional Conservative politician as they have only one value & that is 'cost' (see John Campion's admission that he has no room for art in his working life). Of course there are many ways that 'cost' can be redeemed by the role of the library but I'm not going to lower myself that far.

Stephen Brown 14 Dec 2011

Any and all evidence about the value of Libraries to our community and social cohesion is welcome. Many already do more than just offer books, especially with internet etc acting like a quasi youth centre for instance as they shut those down.

Jonathan Cooper 15 Dec 2011

I seem to recall Councillor Fran Oborski commenting earlier this year that she didn't envy John Campion on the library review. So we come to the tail end of the year and Worcestershire County Council are looking to slash £1.8million from its budget; involving libraries being relocated into space sharing and a cut in opening hours. The real horror for many is that 28-30 full time staff will be cut across the county. Councillor John Campion commented: "The libraries and learning service is no different from most county council services in having to make significant savings in the next few years." For the many council workers these are truly desperate times, and my heart goes out to them all. In these times of harsh council cuts, I again would like to comment how deplorable I find the attitude of some of our district and county councillors who are not willing to shoulder the burden of cuts from within their own pockets. In November 2010, a proposal was put forward for county councillors to reduce their own allowances to show support for the many council workers who due to county council cuts face a bleak future indeed. Like WFDC, the county council proposal was defeated, and I still - as I have always felt - feel this is the ultimate slap in the face for the electorate. In an edition of The Shuttle in November 2010; a former county council leader said that her special leader’s allowance had been £8,700 in 1996 but it had since risen to just under £30,000 in 2009. She added that, "This measure would mean a saving of £81,000, which could be spent doing good elsewhere" Taking Councillor Oborski straight out of the equation here, (because I know that she supported a reduction in councillor allowances), isn't it about time that John Campion and co take a leaf out of their own "FAIR AND CONSISTENT" quote and now push a motion through both district and county councils to get their own hefty allowances cut to support the people that they supposedly represent. The savings are obvious; and as we are all supposed to be in this together I strongly feel that this is the right thing to do!

Neil Harman 15 Dec 2011

When have they ever done the right thing John? Cost Cost Cost is all that matters to them. We have to go back decades to the time of your father, wish I knew him, to find integrity that stands up to scrutiny.

Neil Harman 15 Dec 2011

May I also remind everyone that Cllr. John Campion may have made some noise about protecting libraries at district level, yet at county, he is the man with the axe. These double posts must be stopped somehow by someone with some common sense.

Tav 15 Dec 2011

Neil Harman: "May I also remind everyone that Cllr. John Campion may have made some noise about protecting libraries at district level, yet at county, he is the man with the axe." Oh, I can see Sutton Park Matters now, I can see it now. 'Your local Conservative councillor, Cllr. John Campion sat down and discussed saving the future of our libraries with the County Cabinet member for Localism and Communities'.

Fran Oborski 15 Dec 2011

Much as I dislike the policies of this ghastly Government which are putting library services all over the country at risk, I have to congratulate John Campion for a plan which does NOT close a single library in Worcestershire. In Pershore the Town Council will take over the building, in Stourport the library will move into The Civic and in Bewdley it will share premises with the Museum, TIC and Guildhall complex. Kidderminster may see some restriction in hours (it used to close one day a week) and some other services, Connexion(?) may share library premises but compared with the many councils which are closing libraries this seems a relatively good result.

Stephen Brown 15 Dec 2011

Libraries are real signal of our aspirations in the quest for learning and knowledge and community cohesion. They are a symbol of our collective achievements as a nation drawn from inspiring works of the individual. The buildings they are in are equally important as recognition of all of this ambition. While Fran may be right that this result is better than in some areas, it is by no means any cause to celebrate when our library services face such a hatchet job that the current plans entail. The long-term implications of the plans afoot do not re-assure me of their survival either if the locations and buildings run into more financial trouble or poor management. Of course, we also face the prospect of more cuts to come thanks to Government inability to manage the economy, so says the audit commission and LGA - and what then? Saved? NO. Temporary respite? Maybe. Cold comfort, as Jonathan indicates when so many staff are losing their jobs and services are and will suffer. Can't say I feel proud about what is happening right now in our names as a country which is being forced upon us by a Government that is not representative of any policy position prior to the election.

Stephen Brown 15 Dec 2011

Fran should also be aware that Connexions service is also being slashed at a time when youth need as much help as they can get given the youth unemployment figures, so them sharing buildings with Libraries is not exactly re-assuring either. Connexions need proper bases and structure to engage young people, not cobbled together plans borne of financial cuts.

Jonathan Cooper 15 Dec 2011

Tav says: "Oh, I can see Sutton Park Matters now, I can see it now. 'Your local Conservative councillor, Cllr. John Campion sat down and discussed saving the future of our libraries with the County Cabinet member for Localism and Communities." Brilliant. I have to say that there was quite an hilarious interview on BBC Hereford and Worcester with Councillor Campion this evening. Forgive me but I can't remember the full transcript; but the closing exchange warranted a comedy award.

Neil Harman 16 Dec 2011

What time? I shall iPlayer it.

Jonathan Cooper 16 Dec 2011

Just after the 6pm news Neil .

Neil Harman 16 Dec 2011

Ok Fran, So what will be lost in this transition. How about the mobile library? will the nearly new computer and Broadband system go? will high speed be installed in the civic to support it? Does it now kind of end up being a book store with no ability to renew without the support of its usual systems. Is it being transferred into CAT too or kept under council control in a cheaper location? What happens to the staff now that TUPE has been abandoned if its going private? Does this mean the Civic may still get some support if they are a tenant? What other services from libraries will be lost?

Stephen Brown 16 Dec 2011

I can tell you the staff have real worries about all of this as do the unions like UNISON. I speak to union members in libraries and their experience of volunteers is very mixed. Some are good, some not so good and some hopeless and it means the remaining paid staff get really stretched covering lost staff then missing volunteers. You cannot expect to shed staff, move locations, use volunteers and be able to provide the same level or type of service, something will have to give. I think the council is living in dream land and there recent 'commissioning out' policy is a recipe for longer term disaster in public services - financial, democratic, quality of service and accountability issues will come to the fore. The move to CAT is just a money saving headline figure job for the council with real issues for the future viability of our libraries and beyond on services. As Neil says, there are so many other issues wrapped up in this too that seem unclear right now.

Phillip Oliver 28 Dec 2011

Not sure how they will squeeze Connexion into the Kidderminster Library. My concern is that a section will go. There is spare space as a result of the introduction the automated booking system but not that much. The library still has the gallery and a small museum section but I wonder for how much longer.

Tav 2 Jan 2012

Welcome to the 'Agenda Phillip Oliver. Thanks for your contribution, you make an interesting point.

Fran Oborski 2 Jan 2012

The changes to Connexions are due this benighted Government putting the responsibility for careers advice back onto the Secondary Schools with the Local Authority responsibility being reduced to just the "most vulnerable" pupils only. Some schools, King Charles for one will take over the funding of its two current advisers, others may not. There probably will be enough space in Kidderminster Library for the reduced Connexions Service. I am far more worried about exactly HOW Cllr. Campion proposes to squeeze Bewdley Library into the Museum and Guildhall complex. Seems like a quart into a pint pot job to me!

Stephen Brown 3 Jan 2012

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have the bones of a submission that needs some fine tweaking and figures including. The key points being that while our Libraries may not be subject to closure, thankfully; there are some serious issues being raised about the transfer of responsibility, use of volunteers versus paid staff, opening hours, accessibility, accountability, community involvement, education and learning impact (wider sense), loss of dedicated buildings, shared resources/space and a lack of a long term strategy could seriously impact upon our library provision (in Wyre Forest). In my own humble opinion, I believe that Libraries are unique in many ways for some of the reasons above and that national ring-fencing of money is a potential solution so that councils know what the state of play is and how far they can go, because it seems clear the current legislation is not working in a cuts era. Maybe, any major re-structures of services that locals feel is damaging, rather than have to go to court, there should be some kind of inquiry board system set up under the powers of the Secretary of State, because frankly you cannot trust some local politicians to be too objective about services, consultation or take note of any consultation - as we have seen locally on a few occasions. Of course, all of this has to be done in the context of the inquiry to the media culture committee and our experiences/views but some of the key points are relevant for our own debate in the local review (yet another one). Sadly, it is against the rules of inquiry submission to post/publish it here. I would be happy to email it out to anyone interested who has provided comments on here however - when it's finished. Thanks!

Stephen Brown 5 Jan 2012

...and finally, I hear that the council review of the Library Service contains details to cut frontline staff who deal with the public but no such job cuts for managers...which just about mirrors most of the other cuts I have seen, sadly. Now I don't support cutting any jobs but there appears little equity here and it seems turkeys most certainly don't vote for Christmas ... do they.

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