No further legal action to be taken over library closures in Gloucestershire
Today the campaign group the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries(FoGL) has announced no further legal action will be taken over Gloucestershire County Council's decision to hand seven over to communities to run. Here is its statement in full:
"In November 2010 Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) announced plans to close eleven public libraries, to reduce opening times to three hours per week at seven, and to axe the entire mobile library service.
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Campaigners in Hester's Way earlier this year. The library was one of three Shire Hall decided to keep as a council-run facility
As a direct result of Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries' (FoGL) campaign and the determination of local residents to fight for their service, four public libraries in the most deprived areas of Gloucestershire and two mobile libraries remain open.
The seven libraries with opening hours to be reduced to three per week now have a minimum of 12 hours. This follows a November 2011 ruling by the High Court, initiated by FoGL, that GCC had acted unlawfully in neglecting its equalities obligations. The Judge stated that GCC was guilty of 'bad government' and a 'substantial breach of the law', and quashed the plans entirely, forcing the council to go back to the drawing board.
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However, seven public libraries are still closing, including in deprived areas and in areas where library usage is high. We have strong doubts as to whether the equalities impacts of these library closures and service reductions have been adequately considered and addressed. These plans are now being implemented and there remains a real danger that some of our county's most vulnerable residents will lose out on access to this important and cost effective public service, which pre-cuts, cost GCC just 1% of its annual budget.
Over the last two years, FoGL and local communities have faced an uphill struggle in getting their voices heard by the administration and senior officers. GCC's actions have made a mockery of local democratic procedures. The valid concerns of local residents about the feasibility of volunteers running and funding libraries themselves have been disregarded, and sensible and cost effective proposals from local communities, such as Lechlade, to save their library service have been dismissed out of hand. We are heartened to see that in communities such as Minchinhampton, local residents continue to campaign for the survival of their service, and residents in Hesters Way, Matson and Tuffley remain vigilant to future plans by GCC to cut the service they have fought so hard to keep. FoGL has taken the difficult decision not to pursue further legal action on a county-wide basis. We have been informed by Public Interest Lawyers, the firm who successfully represented Gloucestershire library users in the High Court, that there remain serious concerns around GCC's revised strategy, but that these are better addressed by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Ministers with responsibility to superintend library services, Jeremy Hunt and Ed Vaizey. We will continue to keep DCMS informed of developments in Gloucestershire and encourage other local communities to do the same, and are pursuing this matter through the Parliamentary Ombudsmen.
We are very proud of what FoGL has achieved over the past two years. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the FoGL campaign, both from within Gloucestershire and across the UK who have shown that people use, love and value their public libraries, and will not lose them without a fight."
Following the announcement today, here is a statement from Gloucestershire County Council:
Councillor Mark Hawthorne, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council said: "We've designed a library service that people in Gloucestershire can be proud of and we remain confident that community libraries will continue to play an important part both now and in the future.
"For the past three months we have been talking to community groups who are keen to take over libraries within their areas.
"Business cases are now being developed and we are excited about continuing to support these groups to turn their plans for running local services into reality."
Comments
by KeithHebden
Saturday, August 04 2012, 9:43PM
“Thank you to all who are part of FoGL; you've worked hard and with good humour and grace and it's been a privilege to campaign alongside you.
Love, peace, and anarchy,
Keith”
by Shireresident
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 9:25AM
“Gosh! ain't it grand when a plan comes together? The Tories have always wanted to privatise everything because "business is best" as you get to turn a profit unlike when things are run by the council/government. They've started on the NHS and their minions in the Shires are doing a good job on libraries. We've all seen what great progress has been achieved by privatising the railway and deregulating the buses, what next I wonder. Oh yes wasn't the idea floated that parents be given an education voucher that could be used in part payment for private education a while back. Bring back the toll roads that's what I say. Darwin was right!, it's a dog eat dog world out there and only the cotswold cavalry will survive.”
by NibNobs
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 10:45PM
“No mention of what is finally happening to Brockworth library.....Will it be dumped by the County Council and rely on un-paid volunteers too?”
by MontyToplady
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 6:44PM
“Thank the Lord!! At last.
Thank you and goodnight for your destructive, selfish and foolish campaign”
by billy25
Tuesday, July 31 2012, 5:58PM
“one of these "keen communities" said today.
" FoGL have fought a vigorous and professional campaign in the face of some very poor decision making and inept government by the GCC. We have been proud to support the work of the FoGL by taking the fight to the County. However, it has been truly remarkable, and disappointing, to see how our elected members have treated there constituents with such disdain. It has often been said that you get the government you deserve. In this instance we did not deserve the governance of the GCC; something worth reminding electors about at the next County elections"
Stop with the spin Hawthorne. You have zero credibility”