WALTHAM FOREST: Unions slam 20k library survey
11:19am Sunday 19th December 2010 in News By Daniel Binns
Walthamstow Central Library. Campaigners fear the council plans to slash budgets to library services across the borough.
A £20,000 survey will be used to justify drastic cuts to Waltham Forest’s library service, a union has warned.
Company BMG were paid to gauge residents’ views on libraries across the borough, work which UNISON claims is usually carried out by library staff.
But Waltham Forest Council denied this and defended the move, saying the ‘independent’ research will help minimise the effects of an unprecedented reduction in government funding.
However, Dave Knight, of UNISON Waltham Forest, believes questions in the survey are loaded in order to justify cuts.
He said: "We believe this survey was not impartial and that questions on the survey are biased in order to achieve a pre-ordained outcome.
Mr Knight added that he fears the council could come down hard on union members who criticise the decision to hire a private company to carry out the research.
But Cllr Geraldine Reardon, cabinet member for the arts, said: "As we are doing with every single service we provide, we are currently looking at how we can make every penny we spend on our libraries count.
“The purpose of the survey is to look at all aspects of our library service in an independent and objective manner and find ways of doing things in a more efficient and cost effective way.
"The findings of the survey will influence the development plan for the library service.
"We know that our libraries are highly valued by our residents and provide a wealth of learning and leisure facilities, and, as such, any decisions about our libraries will not be taken lightly."
UNISON has said it will organise some public meetings at libraries to challenge any possible cuts to the service.
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Comments(9)
Redfox
says...
8:58pm Sun 19 Dec 10
Bob Crow seems to take similar steps on the mearest pretext of passenger safety, so why can't Unison - for once, stand up and be counted with the residents.
Tom Thumb
says...
10:12am Mon 20 Dec 10
Redfox is right. But somebody should also be organising a mass protest of residents outside the town hall if the council tries to push more library closures through.
Sam Hain
says...
3:09pm Mon 20 Dec 10
Dave Hall
says...
10:53pm Mon 20 Dec 10
And another thing... On the back of what sort of postage stamp? A republican one without the Queen's head as seems to be mooted by the ConDem friends of Sam?
Walthamster
says...
11:54pm Mon 20 Dec 10
I just wish she'd teach our councillors how to do the same. It would be a good start if they bothered to listen and reply to the people who elected them. They're quick enough to pocket their salary-sized allowances.
£20,000 on a pointless consultation is yet another waste of money, while they blame every cut on the government.
John_Morrison
says...
5:28pm Wed 22 Dec 10
Zoreli
says...
10:29am Thu 23 Dec 10
As a frequent library user I'm really worried about the impact of any cuts on my local library (Leytonstone). Is there anything that we residents can do to prevent cuts, rather than reacting to an announcement after the decisions have been made?
Walthamster
says...
11:29am Thu 23 Dec 10
Also, two of their local councillors at the time were Liaquat Ali and Johar Khan, who did nothing to help.
Don't let your local councillors ignore you. If they don't turn up at their surgeries, tell the leader of their party and to the WF Guardian and insist on an answer from the councillors themselves.
Be polite but insistent. Get support from as many people as possible in the area.
Very important: get commitments from your councillors, IN WRITING, that they will write to you personally, and let the newspaper know, and put up notices in the that the library to warn if it is going to be closed.
mdj says...
1:56pm Sun 19 Dec 10
Not long after, in the wake of the apparent wanton destruction of over 200,000 books, and the botched refurbishment of the central library,which leaked for months causing huge damage after the builders had just left, a consultant from Haringey was paid nearly £60,000 to select new books - that's not to buy them, just to choose them!
This information was elicited at a Community Council, which goes to help explain why LBWF has abolished them.
I would have thought that this Borough had enough in-house expertise when it comes to destroying a library service, without paying outsiders to do the dirty work.