A good day in the courts
Jul 7th
Comment
News
- Anti-multiculturalism gone mad or a rational policy shift? – Voices for the Library. John Dolan reviews the Newham mayor’s decision to remove foreign-language newspapers from libraries to encourage learning of English. Multiculturalism in Newham may be here, going or gone. Even so delivering to local black and minority ethnic communities a replica of their written and spoken culture need no longer be a public library priority; here the library draws people to a mainstream economic purpose in a library that’s a policy vehicle and political resource.
- Historic library may close as subsidy slashed – Independent. “The Paul Hamlyn public library at the British Museum, which has a unique collection of museum guidebooks dating from 1762, along with collections on archaeology, history and art, could close as the institution seeks to cut costs”
- Library campaigners win right to judicial review over closures – BookSeller. “Libraries campaigner Desmond Clarke said the decisions to allow the judicial reviews were “remarkable”. He said: “It is wonderful achievement for the campaigners who have fought bureaucracy, they have got the judges to grant a judicial review and now we hope there will be reviews in the cases of Isle of Wight and Somerset too.”. Gloucestershire council leader says “We have said from the outset that it is right to focus our resources on the most vulnerable, and that means difficult decisions about making savings in other areas.”
- Report of the Inquiry into overcoming the barriers to literacy – Information Twist. Looks at library-related areas of the report – of which there are many, all strongly in favour of public and school libraries. “The active encouragement of reading for pleasure should be a core part of every child’s curriculum entitlement because extensive reading and exposure to a wide range of texts make a huge contribution to students’ educational achievement. This is why libraries are so important to the development of a reading culture – both those in schools and those in the community.”. Full report here.
- UNISON vows to defend libraries and library workers – Voices for the Library. “…we will be looking to step up the UNISON Love Your Libraries campaign, particularly in terms of support for branches in resisting cuts and closures and an increased media presence highlighting workforce issues and the impact on community access to services. UNISON is committed to continuing to work with a wide range of groups, including Voices for the Library, as part of this.”
Changes
Local News
- Barnet – Campaigners organise walk to Friern Barnet library week – Times series. “Campaigners are inviting children to walk to a library after school, in a desperate bid to show Barnet Council it is at the heart of the community. The council is considering plans to move Friern Barnet Library into the artsdepot, nearly two miles away”
- Bolton – Campaigners “disappointed” at charity fundraiser with library closure debate – Bolton News. Leader of council calls debate forced by 7500-name petition “premature” and is heckled from public gallery. “Speaking after the meeting, [campaigner] Mr McHugh said it was disappointing that no real debate had taken place.He said: “It’s important to raise the issues at a time when no final decisions have been made. I’m very disappointed that the councillors didn’t use the opportunity to show that they understand the depth of public feeling on the issue.”
- Brent – Date set for High Court action against library closures – Willesden & Brent Times. “The case will be heard at the High Court over two-and-a-half-days starting on July 19. If the campaigners win, it will be a landmark case and could set a precedent on library closures across the country. The council decided to shut Preston, Barham Park, Tokyngton, Neasden, Cricklewood and Kensal Rise libraries earlier this year to save £1million.”. [Bindmans LLP press release (seen separately by Public Libraries news says “Either party, if they lose, can seek permission to appeal on a point of law, or because of the importance of the case. Applications for permission go to the judge who heard the case first and then, if they are refused, to the Court of Appeal.”]
- Brent – Philip Pullman joins fight to save Brent libraries threatened with closure – Alan Gibbons. “Authors Zadie Smith and Alan Bennett have already given fund-raising events for the campaign. Now Philip Pullman, one of the UK’s most celebrated and controversial writers, will be speaking to an even bigger audience in Kensal Rise on 20 July.” Event is part of fundraising needed for landmark legal case.
- Cornwall – Council service sharing plan “may create 375 jobs” – BBC. “The aim would be to jointly pay for some services with health organisations and the private sector. Council leader Alec Robertson said any suggestion they were selling off services was untrue.Those being considered include free school meals and libraries.”
- Dorset – Crunch time looms for the future of Dorset’s libraries – Dorset Echo. “A final decision on the future of the service will be made at a meeting of Dorset County Council on July 21, with members asked to consider withdrawing funding from nine of its network of 34 libraries.”
- Gloucestershire – Judicial review for Gloucestershire library service – BBC. Council cannot close libraries until review has taken place, probably by the end of September.
- Isle of Wight – Legal aid funding granted to campaign to save Wight’s libraries – Friends of Isle of Wight Libraries (press release). Case will be funded on grounds that cuts breach the “comprehensive and efficient” requirement of the 1964 Act and also that an equalities impact assessment was not done (see quote below also). Leigh Day solicitors say “We have advised our client that she has a good case and expect the Court to grant permission for a full judicial review.”. Also in New attempt to half Island library closures – IWCP.
“We have also discovered that the IWC is trying to get Equality Impact Assessments done for the five areas who’s libraries are under threat. As part of this there will be forms available in the five libraries for the users to fill in- we need as many people as possible who actually use the libraries at Bembridge, Brighstone, East Cowes, Niton and Shanklin to go in, ask for the forms and fill them in- they are expecting a low response- please show them that Islanders really care about ALL of our 11 libraries and give them a huge response.” Isle of Wight – Friends press release.
- Leicestershire – Libraries and museums to cut opening hours to save money – This is Leicestershire. “By closing libraries, museums and the record office at their least busy times, we can cut costs and keep them open at the most popular times,” said Coun Sprason.”. See also Plan to slash library hours across Hinckley and Bosworth – Hinckley Times.
- Somerset – Library campaigners “optimistic” – Somerset County Gazette. “Watchet library user Rebecca Hird is taking legal action against Somerset County Council’s move to close 11 libraries in October, unless volunteers step forward to run them.”. However, Porlock group will volunteer to work in otherwise closing library and is likely to charge for use.
- Suffolk – Dear Latitude Performers – Rosehill Readers. Campaigners ask for support from performers at Latitude Festival.
- Suffolk – Have your say on the future of Suffolk Libraries feedback – Suffolk County Council. 3089 of the 3893 responses to Suffolk Library consultation says “things should stay as they are” (nearly 80%)
- Suffolk – Libraries to stay open under new council plans – BBC. Three options for library service all involve increased privatisation. “We’re done some preliminary financial modelling and, based on the expressions of interest that have come forward, we believe we can make significant savings and also increase the income for the library service.”. Also All libraries set to stay open – EADT.
- Suffolk – Plans for new organisation and control – BBC. “It is proposed to hand the running of individual libraries to town or parish councils, community or staff groups.”
- Warwickshire – Interview with UNISON and Councillor about library cuts – BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire.
- Wokingham – Libraries are safe, says council boss – Get Wokingham. “We are looking to find a experienced organisation, commercial or other to continue provide all statutory services.”.
Good luck to Gloucestershire library supporters – or it’s War [wickshire] for all of us
Jul 6th
Comment
News
- Analysis of public library trends – CULC (Canada). Usage and number of transactions up (especially due to introduction of digital/internet) more than making up for increase in costs.
- Digital era needs human guides: Why your school should keep, not cut, the librarian – Spotlight (USA). “Libraries, Ms. Everhart said, are “the one place that every kid in the school can go to to learn the types of skills that will be expected of them when it’s time to work with an iPad in class.”
- Future of Culture, Tourism and Sport – Neil Stewart Associates. Conference to be held in London, 22nd September 2011. £240 cheapest seat. Looking at how to run services in time of cuts including to spin off services to trusts, Big Society, etc.
- Gloucestershire campaigners await judicial review hearing – BookSeller. “A court hearing to decide whether permission will be given for a judicial review to proceed against Gloucestershire library cuts is to take place in Birmingham tomorrow (Thursday 7th July). If allowed to proceed, the judicial review claim will be the first such action in the battle against library closures.”
- Goodbye to bricks and mortar – Economist. The end of the physical bookshop is near, much to the detriment of the local community. Article ponders possible future models for bookshops “Perhaps bookstores could become tax-subsidised places where people can browse and linger, but only borrow the books for limited periods of time—what the hell, let’s call them libraries … At any rate, the market is squeezing out a meaningful public space. It will be interesting to see what fills the void these bookstores leave behind.”
- In California, all state funding for public libraries remain in jeopardy – Library Journal (USA). State funding halved, all funding to be withdrawn if state revenue target not met. Move is likely to mean ending of one-library-card-for-all system.
“Legal aid is only available to people who pass the financial eligibility criteria. In general, taxpayers would not expect legal aid to fund a case which benefits a wider community, including people who are not eligible for legal aid, without the possibility of a financial contribution from that community.” Andrew Montgomery, press officer from LSC, justifies overturning LSC’s own appeals body and demanding campaigners pay legal costs.
- Legal aid body “ignores appeals review” over library costs – BookSeller. Legal Services Commission ignores ruling of its own appeal panel and declares Somerset and Isle of Wight campaigners must pay costs of around £10,000.
- Library cuts: UK closures ahead US, and more to come for both – Huffington Post. “Anti-cut and anti-library closure protests are popping up on both sides of the Atlantic and spreading to the Pacific. The protests are having no effect. Libraries are being shut, and those left open are operating on slim budgets after deep cuts”. At time of writing, 97.73% of voters on HuffPost poll chose “Save them for our kids and the community”, 2.27% said “I haven’t used them since I was a kid”.
“Libraries are an example of this. In some parts of the country they are very controversial at the moment because they are being closed down on quite a large scale, while in other places they are not. So long as the existing funding for a library may be transferred to districts, there is no reason at all why districts cannot take libraries over. Indeed, the municipal boroughs before 1974 were the library authorities, and many of the fairly new libraries that now exist were built by the boroughs and not by the county council. If the county council is seriously looking at reorganising its library service, one of the ways in which it could perhaps increase the efficiency of libraries and local involvement in them is by transferring at least some of them to the districts. I am not saying that that is an ideal solution everywhere, but it is something that ought to be challengeable. There are a number of things like that.” Lord Greaves in Lords debate on Localism Bill, 5th July.
- No time for transparency or public input – Save Santa Clarita Libraries (USA). Gives timeline for the decision by Santa Clarita to withdraw from Los Angeles system and to entrust library system to LSSI was decided behind closed doors, initally with two councillors meeting private company without knowledge of others. At final hearing, LSSI flew seven people from other side of the continent to testify in their favour.
- PlaceStation – Asset Transfer Unit. Website listing public buildings either under threat and in need of “Big Society” support or that someone feels is under-utilised and wants to use for another purpose. Site highlights still-open Shipston-on- Stour Library (Warwickshire) marked as “under threat of closure” on front page.
- Sound of libraries suffocating – Santa Maria Times (USA). Seven times more people use libraries in the USA than visit sporting events. Public libraries vital in time of recession but that very recession is meaning they’re being closed down.
Changes
Local News
“Tonight we are being allowed to make a 5 minute statement to the full council (below) about the threat of closure facing 9 of our 15 branch libraries. There will then be just 15 minutes debate – given 15,000 Bolton people signed petitions against library closure, that makes one minute per thousand signatures. The outcome of the Libraries Review, including any specific branch closure proposals, will be agreed at the Bolton Council Executive on 25 July. The intention is then to allow only two months for consultation, including all of August when schools are closed and many people on holiday. We will of course campaign around any threatened library closure, and press for a full council debate at the next full council meeting on 31 August. Our libraries are too important to lose.” Ian McHugh, Secretary, Save Bolton Libraries (press release)
- Bolton – Campaign to save Bolton’s threatened libraries – Guardian. Expected decision by cabinet to close libraries will then go out to a further public consultation. Campaigners say strength of public feeling and evidence suggest none should close. See also Council to debate the future of libraries – Bolton News. “It will be the first time a debate has been forced since new legislation came into being last June, which obliges councils to hold public debates whenever they receive a petition of more than 4,000 signatures.”.
- Brent – Cricklewood opera singer hosts garden party in support of library campaign – Willesden and Brent Times. “On Sunday (3), around 100 people enjoyed tea and cake throughout the afternoon which raised £700 for the cause. Among her guests was British food critic, writer and television presenter Giles Coren.”
- Devon – Libraries face opening hours cuts – BBC. Job losses and opening hour cuts likely, to be decided next week after consultation with 8000 responses.
- Dorset – Well-known faces join library campaign – Bridport News. Reporting support of Conservative peer Lord Fellowes and Oliver Letwin MP.
- Dorset – West Dorset Lib Dem hits out at “broken pledges” – Dorset Echo. Cllr Karl Wallace leaves Lib Dems and becomes an Independent “At the moment I feel that the Lib Dems are small Conservatives and nobody is sticking up for the vulnerable people.” He added: “I will continue to work hard for Bridport and challenge the cuts.“I will fight to keep the libraries and school crossing patrols.”
- Gloucestershire – Admission from Cllr Noble: school library provision did NOT inform public library cuts – FoGL. Cllr Antonia Noble, who had previously said that those without public libraries could use school libraries, admits “School and public libraries fulfil different, but complimentary functions”.
- Isle of Wight – Library campaigners welcome delay in handover – Isle of Wight Radio. Campaigners say “Despite our criticisms, our over-riding aim is to retain the existing library. To that end we continue to talk with the council to secure a mutually-satisfactorily resolution.”
- Leeds – Tories call for end to union posts – Yorkshire Post. “Both nationally and here in Leeds we are facing huge financial challenges to ensure that frontline services can continue to be delivered, yet the Labour controlled administration in Leeds continues to pay out these huge sums of money while closing libraries, leisure centres and looking at proposals that could see residential care homes closed as well – their priorities are all wrong, frontline services have to come first.”
- Norfolk – Library opening cuts plan moves a step closer – EDP 24. Council agrees in principle to cut after 8000 responses to consultation. Cuts in mobile library visits to 4 weeks from current 3. Self-service replacing staff. “I agree we are doing a better job than some councils have done, but this financial crisis isn’t going to last forever, could I ask when times are easier that we don’t accept these cuts as permanent,” Mr Nobbs said.
- Suffolk – Thursday 14th July: Save Suffolk Libraries need you – Rosehill Readers. “Come and join us On Thursday 14th July at 12 noon at Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich come and join library campaigners and supporters from all over the county. Bring food & drink plus a library book or two for a picnic, library book swap, read-in, ‘Save Suffolk Libraries’ t-shirts, banners, press, TV, who knows? Let the Councillors know that you value your libraries!”
- Warwickshire – Breaking News: Library staff to lose jobs – What’s In Kenilworth. Massive job losses, staff can take redundancy or cut hours. Lack of communication between managers and staff beforehand. Also reported as Warwickshire libraries could lose 100 staff – Kenilworth Weekly News. Councillor says “At the end of the day these are extremely difficult times and no councillor, no matter what their political persuasion, wants to make cuts to valued services. But we have to change the way we deliver our services. That is unavoidable to achieve the necessary savings”. Also Warwickshire libraries could face 120 job cuts – BBC. There is a “possibility of local communities taking over the libraries that are to close. The deadline for interested groups has now been extended until October.”
- Wirral – Get ready for Wirral libraries of the future – Wirral Globe. “Clearly the reasoning behind the radio-controlled tag is that the libraries will eventually end up delivering a fully-automated service, with no staff at all except those who maintain the machinery.”
Cambridgeshire cuts “bloodbath”, Warwickshire decision soon
Jul 5th
News
- Analysis: The onward march of the leisure trust – ThirdSector. Review of Trusts noting that granting charitable status was (and is) controversial “by permitting charities to carry out services that councils are bound by law to provide, such as libraries”. Excellent (rare) report describing both the pros and cons of Trusts.
- Library Association welcomes Labour’s positive stance on free public libraries – Lianza (New Zealand). “In this time of technological change it is crucial that the principle of freedom of access to information, irrespective of format, is enshrined in law. There is currently a risk that some local authorities will treat the introduction of e-books as an income generating opportunity”.
- Morgan to be Arts Council libraries director – BookSeller. Nicola Morgan of the MLA will be new libraries boss, seeing her job as “an exciting new chapter” to “take forward libraries’ vital and enduring role in our communities in spreading reading, learning, and access to information.”
- Parents “must let children choose what they read” – Guardian. “make sure children talk directly to a librarian or a bookseller, while parents stand well back”.
- Plans to move gov online “lack cyber-security” says MPs – Register. “It said the efficiency reform group should continue to make online services accessible via libraries, which have recently faced closures and cuts, as well as through post offices and other public spaces.”
- Premier League Reading Stars – National Literacy Trust. Chance for public libraries to receive major football backing free of charge.
- Review of library statutory duties – Voices for the Library. Government review of all duties (including the requirement for a “comprehensive and efficient” library service) now closed. “The greatest numbers of responses, due to the campaign generated interest, were on: planning (including duties regarding allotments), children and young people, and libraries”… “we can see that support for public library services remains strong, which is extremely encouraging and positive, but at the same time there may also be a risk that these services can still be eroded via other routes.”
- Shush No More – Voices for the Library (Nilam Ashra-McGrath) – “who will listen to these voices? Will it be the mid-level policy adviser, fast-tracked through the civil service graduate scheme, who now finds himself in the midst of the library storm with his hands clapped firmly over his ears? I hope someone’s listening.”
- Travelling to Taiwan? Free public Wi-Fi launched in Taipei – TNW. Free Wifi in all libraries in Taipei, to be extended to blanket coverage of the capital by end of year.
Changes
Cambridgeshire – 48% cut over 5 years inc. 29 out of 45 managers to lose jobs.
Enfield – 20% budget cut.
Local News
- Bromley – Chick lit author Adele Parks officially opens Orpington Library with MP Jo Johnson – News Shopper. “I firmly believe that people’s lives are enhanced by reading so it’s wonderful to see this facility available to local communities.”
- Cambridgeshire – Public libraries – Meandering the Bookshelves. “The situation is incredibly tough – 48% base savings needed over 5 years, but their remedy seems akin to a bloodbath rather than just tough medicine.”
- Carmarthenshire – Library group in cuts battle – News Shopper. “This is the eighth fortnightly gathering since Carmarthenshire Council announced the intended closure of three Gwendraeth Valley libraries — Pontyates, Pontyberem and Tumble — by March 31.”
- Dorset – Campaigners unite to fight Wool village library closure – Daily Echo. Campaigners say it makes no economic, social or geographic sense to close the only static library, and one of the last public services, in an a largely rural area and one which is already part-funded by the parish council.
- Dorset – High profile tories back library campaign – Dorset Echo and Top tories back plan to keep Dorset libraries open – Daily Echo. Local newspapers report support of Lord Fellowes and Oliver Letwin.
- Enfield – Council survey shows library closures possible – Enfield Independent. 20% budget cuts means closing (“consolidating”) libraries “likely”.
- Gloucestershire – Court Hearing for Permission for Judicial Review against Gloucestershire County Councils drastic library cuts http://tinyurl.com/66aogzy Thur 10.30am (arrive 10am as security queue likely).
- Hampshire – Streamlined mobile library service set to be launched – Salisbury Journal. “Streamlined” means “cut”.
- Isle of Wight – Cautious welcome for Bembridge Library decision – Ventnor Blog. Bembridge will have maintained opening hours until end of September to allow for volunteers to be trained – already this has included IT training and will soon include shadowing of library staff. Users group would greatly prefer council to keep lease and maintain some paid staffing.
- Oxfordshire – County libraries need your support – Oxford Mail. “the public need to understand this is only if we largely staff it ourselves with volunteers. This seems very hard when other libraries, which cost more and are used less, will apparently be fully staffed.”
- Somerset – Communities in Somerset planning library takeover – BBC. Bishops Lydeard and several others about to be taken over by volunteers, with free buildings, enthusiasm and furniture but not much else.
- Somerset – Reduced mobile library routes in Somerset revealed – BBC. “Details of the changes will be sent out to mobile library users over the next few weeks. The county council has also said static libraries which could have their funding cut may be offered a mobile library service as a replacement.” Also Mobile library cuts attacked by MP – Mercury 24. “Wells MP Tessa Munt described the cuts as “a grossly exaggerated response to the Conservative council’s aim to cut the libraries budget by 25 per cent over three years.”
- Waltham Forest – Churches unite to fight library closure – Guardian Series. “In this part of the borough we have a lot of elderly people who use the library services and by doing what it is proposing, the council is expecting them to travel further away.” Conservatives accuse Labour council of wishing to close libraries in areas where there are few Labour voters.
“Sources, from with the Warwickshire Library Service, tell me there is no news, just a lot of anxiety. But they (being employees) are expecting to hear that the library management are likely to recommend all 16 library closures. This employee has been looking at survey results and not one agrees with proposals. The majority are vehemently against where others have questioned the consultation format. He/She concluded saying WCC have been canny, stating that they want Community Libraries rather than just closing them. This may of stopped any protests – shame as libraries really are doomed.” Warwickshire – Libraries overview and scrutiny meeting Monday 11 July everyone please attend – What’s in Kenilworth. 16 libraries face threat of closure, councillors have only three days to read report.
- Wokingham – Borough libraries are owed £55,000 – Get Wokingham. “Mr Alexander said the money owed in arrears would be taken over by the new management company along with books which were already out on loan.”
“I believe that to close libraries is a false economy” – Ed Miliband
Jul 4th
“I am horrified to hear that 14 libraries are set to close in Doncaster, five of which are in my constituency of Doncaster North. I along with residents of Doncaster value greatly the Library Service, and I am very angry at the scale of the proposed closures. I believe that to close libraries is a false economy and a very cheap option to save money. It is most unfortunate that libraries always seem to be at the forefront of any cuts in local expenditure.
I believe that libraries are, and should be, an essential part of our lives, and are vital to our communities and can be a central focus point for an area. A library can help enrich people’s lives, and so many other services can also come from a library.” (Ed Miliband)
Ed Vaizey’s (the minister for Libraries) Tweet of the Day – “History of Government Art Collection launched tonight at No.11. Created by Treasury in 1898 to save decorating costs”.
395 libraries (319 buildings and 76 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”). Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries). The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
News
- Bookends Scenarios – State Library New South Wales (Australia) – Fascinating informed look into the long-term (2030) scenarios for public libraries, some of which tinge into science-fiction but thought-provoking.
- Chief Executive who led “virtual-council” total outsourcing plan leaves council – Guardian. Goodbye to Andrea Hill, who gets £220k pay-off (the minimum under the law) for being the most notorious council leader in the country, antics including personal PR shoots, luxury hotel stays, private therapy sessions, trips to the USA at a council contractor’s expense. Allegations of harassment and bullying are still ongoing. “Suffolk residents forced an end to the council’s mass-outsourcing programme after they protested furiously over plans to cut school crossing patrols, libraries and recycling facilities.”
- Hunt outlines £55m fund to help build endowments – Guardian. Arts groups can apply for government matching of private donations. Jeremy Hunt appears to include libraries in this – he says private benefactors have “Giving us the British Museum, the Royal Societies, and some of our finest libraries – those great engines of the Enlightenment.”
- Who’s in the queue? – IMLS (USA). Analysis of who uses computers in public libraries showing they “fill a wide variety of information needs, a clear indication that public libraries provide much more than basic technology access”.
Changes
Local News
- Bolton – No decision made on future of libraries – This is Lancashire. “Thousands of people have been campaigning to save their libraries.”. Council is considering the future of nine branches but insists closures not already a fait accompli.
- Brent – Ed Miliband slams Labour-run Brent Council: “closing libraries is a false economy” – Save Kensal Rise Library. Quote is music to ears of opponents of Labour council which wants to close libraries. “Now residents are urging Mr Miliband to clamp down on Councillor Ann John, who plans to close down Kensal Rise Library which is situated in an area with one of the highest child illiteracy rates in the capital.”
- Buckinghamshire – Community asset transfer – Buckinghamshire Council. Council makes it easier to sell off libraries “As Buckinghamshire County Council looks increasingly to community-led service solutions, access to suitably located and affordable accommodation will often be critical to the viability
of any project. Recent examples would be youth centres or community libraries. Corporate
Plan priorities undertake that the Council will provide practical support to encourage and
support community solutions.”. Asset Transfer Unit tweets “nice one”. - Cambridgeshire – Library will close for a week to install system – Evening Telegraph. “Cambridgeshire county councillor David Harty, cabinet member for learning, said: “Self-service has been highly successful in the libraries where we have already introduced it. The equipment is easy to use and staff will be on hand to help people using it. We apologise for any inconvenience while the work is being carried out.”
- Croydon – Tall tales and strange silences on libraries – That Woman’s Blog. Croydon’s website and PR silent on privatisation despite acknowledgements that it is being sought.
- Doncaster – Message from Ed Miliband – Save Doncaster Libraries. Campaigners secure quote that will make life very difficult for Labour councillors in Brent and Lewisham who wish to close libraries. (4th February)
- Dorset – (A) Oliver Letwin MP on Dorset closures – “I think we also have to recognise that there are limits on what volunteers can be expected to do and there are limits, also, on the ability of village communities to raise their own funding.” (B) Julian Fellowes speaks out on Dorset closures – “There seems to have grown up an idea that the destruction of the libraries is somehow demanded by the Prime Minister and that it is an act of loyalty to him and his policies to lay them waste. In fact, and I speak from first hand information, this is the opposite of the truth.” (C) Dorset campaigners welcome Fellowes, Letwin statements – “We are enormously encouraged by the support of two such high profile Conservative politicians,’ says Tim Lee, acting chairman of Ad Lib (the Association of Friends of Dorset Libraries, of which Julian Fellowes is patron), ‘especially as it was Conservative councillors who voted down a call to preserve all the libraries last month.” – all via Alan Gibbons.
“Libraries are unique environments and need to be. For many of us growing up, the local library was our internet. So excuse us if we don’t seem grateful that the county’s main libraries are staying open. Not only should they be staying open, but all the energy that is going into “remodelling” the service should be going into what more they can be as libraries and not, to use that grating phrase, one-stop shops.” Herefordshire – Don’t make this our libraries’ final chapter – Voices for the Library, reprinted from Hereford Times.
- Hertfordshire – Library opening hours reduced from today – Welwyn Hatfield Times.
- The new timetable includes all-day closures once a week for libraries in Hatfield, Knebworth, Brookmans Park, Welwyn and Woodhall, as well as Oakmere library in Potters Bar.
- County councillor Chris Hayward, executive member for libraries, said the closures had been staggered to ensure that residents would still have access to library services, even when their local branch was shut.
- Oxfordshire – Campaigners bid to stop two-thirds cut in staff at library – Henley Standard. Friends of Benson Library formed to help staff/run threatened library but “We don’t think we should be asking perhaps an elderly volunteer to be on their own in a library,” he said. “We are looking for value-plus on this, not keeping the status quo.”
- Redcar and Cleveland – Teesside libraries charging highest kids’ fines in the Northeast – Gazette Live. Most expensive of all 12 Teesside councils, 6 of which do not charge at all. “The council has defended the charge as “reasonable” and a Gazette poll this weekend found 60.7% of respondents backed fines for youngsters.” but local author says “I go to a lot of schools where the kids have next to no money. The first thing they ask me is whether the book will be in the local library. Libraries are hugely important and literacy among children is a really big issue.”
- Somerset – Three Somerset libraries set to stay open – BBC. “Volunteers have stepped in to pay for and run libraries in Bishops Lydeard, Bruton and Porlock.” Sunningdale likely to close, Watchet and Highbridge may be run by volunteers.
- Suffolk – Recomendations to Suffolk County Council Cabinet – Save Suffolk Libraries Campaign Network. Extremely professional report stating the desires of the umbrella group of library users – (a) Against divestment, (b) savings should be made in back-office, (c) consultation currently inadequate, (d) SWOT analysis should be done, (e) 3 to 5 year plan based on both current model and Trust model, (f) equalities investment assessment (EIA) should be made public, (g) full EIA for each branch considered for closure, (h) make fully public all criteria for considering divestment.
- Wokingham – Response to John Halsall – Mad man with a blog. Conservatives accuse Labour/LibDem councillors of scaremongering about privatising libraries. Opposition councillors point to Express article saying LSSI’s first contract is likely to be with Wokingham.
- Wokingham – Saving the libraries – Prue Bray. “So the Conservatives are torn between trying to pretend it isn’t happening, and trying to dismiss the opposition. Clearly, by the strength of their reaction, nervousness has set in The more signatures we get, the more likely they are to back down. So if you haven’t signed to save the libraries, DO IT NOW! http://tinyurl.com/WBCLibraries”
Cometh the hour, cometh the muppet
Jul 3rd
“Reading is origin of “taking the biscuit”. Huntley & Palmer gave free biscuits to 1st class passengers. Closed 1976. Tins in Reading museum”
- Beach fatties strain the limits of liberalism: as does the sight of our libraries minister exposing his feebleness in public – Independent (DJ Taylor). Ed Vaizey is the only minister whose performance has been “unremittingly feeble”. “The Bookseller recently described this Government as an “anti-books regime”. It is worse than that. It is anti-cultural.”.
- Biteback – Sunday Times (behind paywall). “Richard Brooks, Editor of the SUNDAY TIMES Culture Section in his Biteback column ( Behind the pay wall) writes about Ed Vaizey being “in a spot”. “He has no direct say over cuts made by local authorities, which run libraries, but has the power to intervene if damage is being done. How and when do you define damage?” (courtesy of Desmond Clarke).
- Between the covers – Independent. “All power to the Women’s Institute and its Love Your Libraries campaign, which is encouraging members to join their local libraries, lobby councillors and sign a petition. (David Cameron promised to hold a debate on any petition with more than 100,000 signatures; the WI has about 205,000 members.) We look forward to the film version, in which Helen Mirren leans across a naked Celia Imrie and says: “Lawrence, we’re going to need considerably bigger John Bunyans.”
- Debate about cuts is obscuring the real problem about public libraries – Good Libraries Blog. Tim Coates blames the management of libraries – need more books, more opening hours, less managers, better book supply… “the real problems of the library service we are defending it for what it ought to be like and not what it is like”.
- Great purge of our libraries – Quadrant (Australia). Removing books from academic libraries due to digitisation means world vulnerable to cyber-attack, censorship and the loss of vital works. Compares the currrent situation to the burning of books during Henry VIII’s time.
- Libraries – the new frontline in cuts row – Channel Four News. Glos legal hearing this week seen as national test case. Lechlade group and mobile library user interviewed. Cllr Hawthorne says local communities want to take over libraries, campaigners say it was purely an ultimatum – run them yourselves or council will close them. Public Interest Lawyers say council is in “clear breach” of its duties “…you cannot have central and local government able to act outside the law”. Also Channel Four news article Libraries latest battleground in legal fight against cuts.
- Library is booming after first year – Leader (Australia). Extended Tasmanian library now has cafe, more seating, more computers, more meeting rooms, “imaginarium” and “digital pod”, usage up more than a third on one year ago.
- Dorset – Campaigners urge Dorset County Council to save library jobs – Dorset Echo. Campaign for save 10 libraries would mean 6 jobs lost rather than 24. “The campaign group is now calling on the public service union Unison to back its fight as they say the matter has now become a jobs issue.Acting chairman Tim Lee said: “It looks obvious to us that the union representing library staff should want to back our campaign.”
- Ealing – Decisions on the libraries, and on the taxicard scheme – Ealing Today. “Ranjit Dheer (Lab) presented the report as portfolio holder. Ranjit said, “we bow to the wishes of the Borough’s residents and keep the libraries open” but that we need to look at how to deliver this in the longer term in the context of the cuts. He floated the possibility of setting up a charitable trust and pointed out that the fact that the nearly 1,000 potential volunteers that have come forward “fits in well with the Big Society agenda”… then went to say he had “never read a book in his life”.
- Gloucestershire – Cllr Hawthorne continues to spin: whilst this time Newnham Library Group sets the record straight – FoGL. Newnham and Lechlade groups have taken issue with the Glos leader’s statement that they want to take over the libraries. Rather, they are only considering it as a last resort.
- Herefordshire – Council scraps mobile library service – BBC. All mobile libraries to be stopped by the Autumn.
- Isle of the Wight – What news of the Island? – Alan Gibbons. Legal Aid has been repeatedly delayed to library campaigners apparently due to Government interference. Independence of the LSC (who provide the funds) questioned. Decision on if Isle of Wight legal challenge will received Legal Aid “imminent”.
- Milton Keynes – Summer Reading Challenge 2011 – Milton Keynes Libraries. Council asks for volunteers to support Circus Stars.
- West Sussex – Chief’s pay-off – West Sussex County Times. £400,000 given to leaving boss. He received the money even though he was “sacked”. “I think councils in general are looking in the wrong areas to make cuts and want to look more closely at overpaid salaries, before they even think about closing libraries and other services, especially for the needy in their area.”
- West Sussex – Shock at library as reference books go – County Times. 60-book reference section removed from Billingshurst Library without consultation or notice. Council said books were old and users could access information on computers. Complainer said “Reference books have to be considered the most important element of a library. Remove them and what is the point of the library?”
- Worcestershire – Concern that volunteers could run libraries – Worcester News. Councillors worried that replacing staff with volunteers may be a legal problem and that they would need substantial training and support. Libraries possibly run as a co-operative or other Trust.
Visits to public libraries slightly up this year
Jul 1st
“On its current trajectory there is a real danger that the community assets agenda will simply pass many communities by. A lack of investment at this critical point means the gulf between supply and demand is likely to widen. This is by no means a level playing field. Unless additional support and resources are afforded to struggling communities inequalities are likely to increase. Those unable to take advantage of the opportunities will simply get left behind. Communities need time to develop capacity and assemble resources. But in this brave new localist world is there anybody who is able to apply the brakes?” Community ownership: assets or liabilities? Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
“When I go into a library, I don’t have to worry about who is holding whose copyrights, why this book didn’t sell enough to continue to be available in any marketplace, how many other stories there are out there that I am missing because the storytellers don’t have the money or the property rights to tell them. In the library, I am in a space beyond the marketplace, beyond consumption, beyond the money censors, beyond the noise. I am in a place where librarians have accumulated the knowledge and the stories important to me and my community.” Jeff Chang on Libraries and “Our Collective Imagination” – Racialicious (USA).
“39.7 per cent of adults had used a public library in the last year, a decrease from 2005/06 (48.2%). However the steady decline in library usage observed between 2005/06 and 2008/09 has now stabilised, with no significant change observed between 2008/09 (41.1%) and 2010/11 (39.7%)” Taking part: the national survey of culture, leisure and sport 2010/11 – DCMS.
“The call to save libraries is long overdue – so we can expect to pay heavily for it”
Jun 30th
News
- Attracting and retaining volunteers – Creating Capacity. Course advertised to librarians.
- Could we replace libraries with book swapping clubs? – Guardian. Lottery-funded NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts)’s Philip Colligan says “Anyone who has worked in a council knows that you need to tread carefully when it comes to libraries, or indeed any of the universal services that most taxpayers take for granted. The frequency of bin collections, charges for leisure facilities, library opening hours and street cleaning standards are all issues that excite the passions of the public, and which politicians and managers misjudge at their peril.”. Example is Sutton Bookshare, [specifically described by its creator as not a replacement for libraries]
- Keeping reading on track – Libraryinfonews. “I’m irritated at the thought of video or other bits of media distracting from reading. And those experimental texts that ask readers to choose how the story progresses seem, to me, simply bizarre.”
- Library tribe – Voices for the Library. “My name is Tony Smith and I have recently started to document my local library in a photographic project I call ‘Library Tribe’. It started as a reaction to the closure of my local branch library, which was only a couple of streets walk away. I had taken an image in there just over a year ago. The building also doubled up as my local polling station and that is where I last cast my vote in the May 2010 parliamentary elections. I don’t recall being asked to vote on losing my library at the time.”
- Tale of two libraries – ChB:PhD. In Denmark, threatened library went almost completely self-service for 18 hours per day, 7 days per week. CCTV and cardswipe to allow access and security.
- Welcome privatized libraries with caution – Signal (USA). “It is not enough to have a large amount of the current best-sellers. There is a need for a broad base of special-interest materials to meet the needs of those of us who are not part of the pop-book culture, but read to learn and broaden our knowledge bases”
- With cuts like these it’s as if the Government doesn’t believe its own policies – London Evening Standard. Member of PM’s inner circle, Phillip Blond, says “It’s almost as if the Government doesn’t believe in its own policies. Libraries and children’s centres are closing before the right to challenge [local council spending decisions] and the right to take over [public buildings] has come in. I’d have given it more time. I would not have front-loaded local authority cuts in order to allow these new models to come in.”
Changes to service
Bromley – Large scale reductions in opening hours.
Local News
- Bath and Northeast Somerset – Number of library users picks up with audio book downloads – This is Bath. “More than 2,500 people have taken advantage of a joint initiative, involving Bath & North East Somerset Council, to get more people downloading free audio books from their local library.”
- Bromley – Proposed changes to branch library opening hours – Bromley Council. Big reductions to opening hours.
- Enfield – Children’s centre could face the axe – North London Today. “Councillors will also launch a consultation on the future of Enfield’s libraries next Wednesday. It was revealed earlier this year that the borough could lose three of its 16 libraries as finance chiefs try to save money.”
- Gloucestershire – Going ahead with “Big Community” – Tewkesbury Admag. “The county council are saying that everyone is delighted about taking over services but some of the very same people are supporting our injunction and we have even received donations to fight the closures.”
“It takes 3-4 years to train a librarian, and for someone to just go in and say we’ ll take your book and we’ll stamp it…..you need to know a lot more than that and I feel quite strongly that the people who are trained librarians must feel very sore at all the time that they have spent in training to think that someone is going to volunteer to come and run the library…you’ve got to know what you are doing. It is not just scanning the barcode on books..I don’t think volunteers can be the answer“ Gloucestershire – The WI get it, why doesn’t the secretary of state? – BBC Radio Gloucestershire, 19:50 to 25:30.
- Lewisham – Campaigner’s letter – Alan Gibbons. “As a final punch line, thus far, no librarians in the Lewisham service seem to have been made redundant. They are too busy training volunteers! Thus there is no saving on salaries yet and neither is procedure being followed, e.g. TUPE or the Data Protection Act.”
- Somerset – Burnham MP attacks plans for “massive cuts” to mobile libraries – Burnham on Sea. Tessa Munt MP describes 25% cut in library services as “way more than is necessary” as government funding of Somerset has actually gone up by £20m.
If you’re on strike, use your library
Jun 29th
News
- As WiFi havens and E-book Centers, public libraries aren’t going away soon – Fast Company (USA). Usage and tech increases in American libraries but budgets are flat or cut.
- Celebrate the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature 2011 – Daily Telegraph. “This is a golden age for children’s writing and there is something uniquely important about the books we read as children: few subsequent reading experiences are quite so intense or engrave so deeply into your imagination. At a time when libraries are under threat it is even more important that the joys of reading are highlighted.”
- Chaos Library – Artists and Makers. A “pop-up library … All books are donated freely and may be borrowed by anyone who visits the library, wherever it pops up.”
- Communities will benefit from Big Society if postcode is right – PublicNet. “The Big Society is set to bring benefits to many communities across the country, but others will lose out. The losers are in the areas with limited community wealth such as volunteering… In a boost to the Government’s Big Society agenda, new polling by Ipsos Mori shows that there is an untapped well of people willing to get more involved in community work through staffing libraries, sharing skills or mentoring children.”
Importance of promotional activity – Voices for the Library. Promoting events in libraries can improve usage and thus make the library safer from closure, especially as councils often refer to changes in usage from previous year. Libraries and campaigners can therefore promote events like the Summer Reading Challenge in order to sustain the current service.
- Liberals of old would be furious – Morning Star. Liberals were behind establishing libraries in 1840s. “…the legal precedent in the injunction granted to Birmingham’s Public Interest Lawyers, to halt Gloucester County Council pressing ahead with closures and cutbacks (M Star June 19), is an achievement with implications for the entire country.”
“This research event will bring together a range of senior council staff, providers, social entrepreneurs, innovators, community groups, cultural service experts, community groups, academics and service designers. It will test how emerging best practice could be developed further to imagine the next generation of local library services and define a new role for community assets.” Libraries and community assets: ripping up the rulebook – New Local Government Network and May Gurney. 6th July event at the Design Council.
- Localism Bill, part one – BBC Democracy Live. “The bill hands powers from central government to local councils and neighbourhoods, as part of the government’s Big Society agenda. The government says local communities will be given more control over housing and planning decisions, and the right to buy pubs, shops and libraries put up for sale.”
- Realising Community Wealth – New Local Government Network. £12 report (not seen) uses research and polling to show that some areas may be more receptive for volunteers than others and many would be willing to staff libraries – “In new heat maps illustrating Big Society resources, Barking & Dagenham and Harlow councils are least well placed to benefit from the Big Society, with the South West and North of England regions faring strongest.”
Save our libraries, fire the librarians – News Leader (USA). Article starts off questioning the need for a new library at the time of budget cuts then turns into probably the most bizarre mainstream article on librarians this year – “most librarians are little more than unionized pawns for the social-activist bosses of the American Library Association”, “an enforcer for ultraliberal sociopolitical cause”, “sided with terrorists to ban public debate”, ” vigorously promotes homosexuality and other [sic] deviant behavior by children”, “Our library has slanted bookshelves”. The author chaired Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign in South Florida.
- Visits to the library – Marcus Moore. “Looking round, it was obvious that many of those using the library computers were regulars: ordinary folk who can’t afford expensive technology; those working away from home; students doing research.”
- What librarians and Google are for – Phil Bradley’s Weblog. Neat summary of the differences which will not be spoiled by summarising here.
- WI members launch Love Your Libraries campaign – This is Somerset. “An army of women campaigners are being mobilised to fight for libraries across the West, in a new campaign being spearheaded by the Women’s Institute. Tens of thousands of members from Dorset to Gloucestershire have backed plans for the campaign, called Love Your Libraries, to fight individual council plans to close branches, cut opening hours or replace staff with volunteers.”
- Writer-in-Residence, with a twist – Nilam Ashra-McGrath. “I am to be a Writer-In-Residence at Huddersfield Library for the next two weeks. But this is a residency with a twist. Instead of going out to schools and community groups to encourage reading, writing and the take up of library services, I’ll be writing about the experience of using the library and what it means for its members. This has been a personal project of mine for a while and I am in bits with excitement.”
Changes to Service
Local News
- Brent – Mark Twain stamp released as fight continues to save Kensal Rise Library – Save Kensal Rise library. “Kensal Rise Library was opened by Mark Twain as a gift to the people of Brent from All Soul’s College, Oxford. It was opened to encourage reading and raise child literacy levels, and it is for that reason that residents are fighting so hard to keep it open.”. Mark Twain Museum (USA) supports efforts to save library.
- Croydon – Lies, damned lies and statistics? A working model? – Sanderstead Library Campaign. Relates to Voices for the Library post on promotion (above) – “Croydon has already experienced this decline in the breadth of activities on offer and in the promotion of its activities. Calls to have events better advertised have been ignored so far. Wrong or incomplete information is in circulation.”
- Doncaster – Mayor critical as Miliband backs library closure protest – Star. “We will keep as many open as possible, working with the community. But we already have too many libraries in the borough. There are certainly some libraries where no-one has come forward as a community saying they are interested in keeping them open.”
- Doncaster – Mayor Davies caught with his pants on fire again – Save Doncaster Libraries. Mayor suggests he is (a) improving Central Library but no evidence of this and (b) bemoans lack interest in volunteer-run libraries as lack of interest in libraries, which is not the case. In addition, the council has not made clear what, if any, support it would offer. 26,000 Doncaster people have signed petition to save their threatened libraries so far.
- Ealing – Committee Papers – Ealing Council. Full proposals.- Mobile Library to go but no branch libraries.
- Ealing – Conservatives still worried about the future of Ealing Libraries – Ealing Conservatives Press Release. (Labour.) proposals suggest a “two tier” approach to libraries, with volunteers involved in some. Unhappy with mobile library service going as 66% wanting it to stay (esp. nurseries where it stops). “Birth of Eve” painting should not have gone to supporting basic service. “Whilst we welcome the reduction in the tiers of management, we deplore the reduction in customer facing staff in the libraries.”
- Gloucestershire – Painswick library to be re-housed in the town hall – Stroud News & Journal. “The original library building was closed in December 2009 on health and safety grounds, the town residents have been sourcing their books from a mobile library…formed a group of trustees, which includes professional librarians and people with a wide range of relevant experience in business, marketing, charity administration, law and the public sector.”
- Hampshire – Slimmed-down library ready to hit the road – Gazette. 13 mobile libraries cease from 4th July, £500k cut.
- Hertfordshire – Campaigner mobilises headteachers and MP against Borehamwood library cuts – Borehamwood Times. Area of high deprivation should be cut less say local schools and James Clappison MP. “I want councillors to appreciate you cannot make these cuts without there being an impact on literacy.” says Louise Aldridge.
- Isle of Wight – Volunteers “should not replace library workers” – “Volunteers should supplement, but not replace, library provision on the Island, according to MP Andrew Turner”.
- Northern Ireland – Killyleagh library campaign use unique art form – Down News. “The local library has a place in the social order and sometimes we just don’t fully appreciate the importance of it. A library is a place where people meet socially too and this is an important function. So our library van is really a form of performance art, an expression about the experience of lending books.”
- Southampton – Council workers begin new strike – “Library staff, refuse collectors, street cleaners, toll collectors and parking enforcement teams are walking out for seven days…. In February, councillors finalised budget cuts of £25m and said all workers earning more than £17,500, which is 65% of staff, would have their hours cut – resulting in a loss of pay.”. All but one library closed by strike.
- Suffolk – Rethink over future of Suffolk libraries – Haverhill Echo. “Among the ten recommendations are that the distinction between ‘county’ and ‘community’ libraries should no longer apply, the role of mobile libraries should be made clear and that absolute clarity should be given to communities and groups interested in running a library.”
- Surrey – Communities need council libraries: join the lobby – Save our services in Surrey. “Join the lobby of the SCC Cabinet to save council libraries: Tuesday 26th July, 1pm, at County Hall, Penrhyn Road, Kingston. Click here to download distributable flyers (PDF)”.
- Surrey – Group formed to fight Surrey library closures – Get Surrey. Umbrella group formed – “Hands off Surrey Libraries group”. “Apart from the one representative of Surrey County Council management present, the meeting voted unanimously to oppose the council’s plans outright and to defend publicly owned and publicly run libraries across Surrey and to demand a full, open and transparent public consultation over the proposals.”
- Wirral – Library plans a mistake – Wirral Globe (Letters). [Self-Service] “I feel the introduction of this system would make far more work for staff, as one only has to look at the supermarket self checkouts, a member of staff has to be on hand to sort out problems, and I feel that the proposed system for the library would make problems for older people and disabled.And, after all, a machine can’t smile at you or help with an enquiry as the staff do now”
- Worcestershire – County Council has “no plans” to close Rubery Library – Bromsgrove Advertiser. “As with all our libraries we are looking to see if the service can be run more efficiently, perhaps by sharing buildings with other organisations or getting the local community more involved.”
Glos appears to ignore the legal injunction … but can Number Ten ignore the WI?
Jun 28th
Gloucestershire council appear to be ignoring a legal injunction against them. The second of the five points therein is that they must suspend “transferring or agreeing to transfer any library building or lease or responsibility for running any existing library”. However, no less than nine such transfers have been recommended for a council decision next week. The Council seems confident it will win the legal hearing on the 7th July. One wonders what advice they have been getting, and from whom.
The Government may soon be getting advice from the WI, although it is unlikely to want it. The Financial Times notes their new pro-library campaign is likely to alarm Number Ten. The bastion of Middle England will be on the same side as Unison in opposing library closures.
395 libraries (319 buildings and 76 mobiles) currently under threat or closed/left council control since 1/4/11 out of c.4612 in the UK (for the complete list by area see the page “Tally by local authority”). Librarian professional body CILIP forecasts 600 libraries under threat (inc. 20% of English libraries). The Public Libraries News figure is obtained from counting up all reports about public libraries in the media each day.
News
Are school librarians expendable? – New York Times. “My concern, as someone who works with people who lack technological access and education, is that removing school librarians and media specialists from the educational environment will have the largest effect on those whose information access is already hampered by the same pressures that are affecting our schools. Public education in this country is a right, and libraries and librarians are an indivisible part of public education.”
Communities Secretary Eric Pickle says “I was right” over local government spendin cuts – Liverpool Daily Post. “The Communities Secretary insisted it was now clear that councils had been able to make the necessary spending reductions without “everything coming to an end” – just as he had predicted….However, Mr Pickles did not refer directly to the impact on council services, amid threats to libraries, leisure centres and – it was reported this week – deep spending cuts for old-age care.”
“And so this is for the people for whom libraries saved their lives
Shouting “throw the book at those who look to cut us with their knives”
And so this is for the people who know lives are saved by culture
But have seen the arts all torn apart by Philisitines and vultures”
Part of “For the People” Poem by Tony Walsh, commissioned by Unison for Glastonbury Festival.
“… Lechlade has consistently argued against the closure of our library by the County. Two public meetings and an 800 signature petition have endorsed the Town Council’s requests that the County continue their provision, but they have refused to do so. In order to secure a library service for our residents we have reluctantly submitted a bid to take over the library, but hope that this will not be necessary and that the County will be forced, either by the courts, or by the Secretary of State who is currently reviewing the County’s proposals, to maintain the existing service.” Gloucestershire
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