So who has stepped forward and offered to run libraries in Kent?

A quick update on yesterday’s post as I have now received an email following my initial request for information on parish council’s approaching Kent County Council offering to run public libraries.

Last month, at the Customer and Communities Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cath Anley (Head of Libraries) said the following:

“We’ve already got groups coming forward to us who are identifying opportunities and so those will go into that pot [groups 'exploring opportunities' to get involved in libraries]. People are coming to us individually. A number of parish councils for example have already approached us and there is a number of other libraries where we think there is an opportunity to work with partners to deliver a saving.” [emphasis mine]

Contrast that with the response received from KCC in respect of my request for details on which parish councils have expressed in interest in running libraries in Kent (including all communications):

At this stage, no Parish Councils have formally put in writing an expression of interest to run Libraries on behalf of KCC. As part of the work we are doing in working with local people and communities through Locality Boards and local elected members we will be having discussions with a range of groups and organisations across Kent (including Parish Councils) about Library Services. [emphasis mine]

Which left me a little confused. It was clearly stated in the meeting that parish councils have approached KCC but the Freedom of Information response suggests that there have been no such approaches. Somebody here is not telling the whole truth. Either no parish councils have approached KCC, or they have and KCC do not wish to release the information.

Meanwhile, it is certainly worth showing a bit of love and appreciation to your local library staff over the festive season. Morale is at an all-time low with many library workers across the county fearing for their jobs with cuts and closures just around the corner. Not helped, of course, by those at the top failing to consider the impact their decisions will have on those who are serving on the ‘frontline’. Times are hard for library workers across the county, it would mean a lot to them to know that the public are on their side.

http://twitter.com/ElizCro Elizabeth A

Croydon had volunteer “schools and groups”, chomping at the bit to help run libraries, according to a Residents’ Association, who spread word of this “fact” and even wrote to contribute this to the libraries consultation.

Pushed for details at an AGM the Residents’ Association had to admit they did not know, the councillors had told them. Asking for the details from councillors present – there were none forthcoming, after a veiled attempt to imply that any school who had contributed to the consultation had offered to volunteer. (Nothing like a bit of blind faith by a Residents’ Association, is there?) Put on the spot the councillors had to admit they knew of no actual school or group who had volunteered, but many individuals had offered to volunteer, and they had a list.

Only months later Croydon Council ask for volunteers to run the Summer Children’s Book Trail scheme. Shouldn’t be a problem, should it, with a list of eager volunteers already to hand? And the council advertised the opportunity in the secondary schools in the borough – an ideal thing to have on your CV or application to university. With the added bonus of no long term commitment – only asking for a commitment of 5 sessions it would seem volunteers would be fighting over the positions on offer. Result!

Reality check. Book Trail sessions were often short-staffed, even with the council using paid staff to help supplement the cover of the sessions. They were so short of volunteer or paid staff to cover the scheme that sessions were closed at little or no notice. Many families, who had attended regularly in previous years, gave up or did not even get to register. All this with a commitment of only five sessions.

How could volunteers possibly run the service, even if we overlook the skill base needed? There is clearly a distinct lack of actual commitment.

http://infoism.co.uk/blog Ian

I do think that ultimately it boils down to councils blackmailing communities into running the libraries themselves. I rarely here of a community that would prefer a community run option over a council run service. The communities and the councils know a council run service is more comprehensive and efficient, it’s just a cheap and easy way for them to save money. Well, cheap and easy up until the point that communities stand-up to their councillors. More of that please.

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