Town Hall insiders - "The biggest ever response to a council questionnaire" - Huge response to money-saving choices document

Published: 24 February 2011
by DAN CARRIER

COUNCIL offices have been swamped by an unprecedented response to a questionnaire on the future of libraries. 

More than 1,000 questionnaires, which offers a series of money-saving choices to users, ranging from closing branches, cutting opening hours or asking volunteers to take over, have been filled in and sent to Camden Council in the first three weeks of the two-month consultation on the future of libraries. 

Town Hall insiders say it is the biggest ever response to a council questionnaire and demonstrates the depth of feeling over the proposed cuts, which will see 25 per cent slashed from the services budget.

And the deluge of forms comes as library-users hold protest events to show support for library services. 

Users of Highgate Library in Chester Road are organising a day of action for the first Saturday in March, and have won the support of Highgate-based children’s author Michael Rosen. He told the New Journal: “It is an act of gross hypocrisy when the government, through the mouthpiece of Michael Gove, talks about culture and that they want to see every child have the opportunity to read Pope and Dryden, while at the same time they are slashing the means of people getting hold of such authors. They just do not give a damn.”

He added: “The point is tens of billions of pounds are sloshing around the City. We are talking of renewing Trident and the UK is still playing the role of a  petty policeman around the world, all funded by our taxes, and they say they can’t afford to run a decent library service? This is simply ludicrous.” 

Hampstead and Kilburn MP Glenda Jackson spoke in a  House of Commons debate this week on libraries, warning MPs that cuts to Town Hall funds would make it harder for the Government to see its own policies put into practice. She said: “People in my constituency are concerned about not only the threat to local libraries, but the threat of closure of sports facilities. This is an example of what the Government have touted as central to the Big Society: localism. Yet, when one looks at the local reaction, constituents’ opinions are being ignored.”

Also due at the action day in Highgate will be Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson, as well as authors including Tracy Chevalier, Danny Scheinmann, Graham Marks, Mark Piggott, Jane Hill, June Rose and Celia Mitchell.

Organiser Grace Livingstone said: “This library is the heart of our community and we would be devastated if it were closed. All sorts of people use it. After school, it is packed with kids reading books, playing games and doing homework, while the computers are full of people working and researching.”

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