Sunday 17 April 2011

Library closure decision under scrutiny by councillors as campaigns band together and legal challenge mounted

The Council's library consultation and closure decision will come under scrutiny again on Wednesday April 27th at the Call In Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It will form the main part of the agenda as set out below:
• To fully investigate all proposed business plans put forward by all
campaign groups
• To discuss fully the impact of the closures on age and race equality
issues.
Suggested action for the Call-in Overview and Scrutiny Committee to
take:-
One group of councillors suggested the following:-
• To consider the full implications of the decision and to discuss
alternative methods of library service delivery.
Another group of councillors suggested the following:-
• To consider how to support community and other groups in running
their library services locally by providing sufficient time for business
plans to be developed.
• To consider possible efficiency savings and the use of the
Council’s financial reserves to enable further library service
delivery.
BRENT SOS LIBRARIES
 
Meanwhile the separate library campaigns have set up a joint  campaign BRENT SOS (Save our Six) LIBRARIES.  There will be legal action in court this week to lodge a judicial review and an attempt to stay any action by the Council while the case is heard.

The Council's action at Charteris Sports Centre when they boarded up the Centre with police present in advance of the expected closure is a worrying precedent. Be alert!


No comments: