This is the response by David Ruse to the open letter written by the staff of Westminster Libraries asking their Councillors not to impose further cuts to the service
The
claim that Westminster City Council is planning the wholesale decimation of its
library service is straight off our fiction shelves. I can state now that there
will be no library closures and no cuts to opening hours and no reason to think
that the excellent range of services described will be reduced.
Like all local authorities the Council is faced with tough financial challenges, and that includes the library service. But our innovative partnership with Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham has allowed us to make significant savings and so protect front line library services. We are also about to invest £12 million in a new library for Marylebone.
Like all local authorities the Council is faced with tough financial challenges, and that includes the library service. But our innovative partnership with Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham has allowed us to make significant savings and so protect front line library services. We are also about to invest £12 million in a new library for Marylebone.
The
Council knows how much local people value libraries and is committed to a first
class service.
David
Ruse
Tri-borough
Director of Libraries and Archives
London
Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Westminster
City Council
Isn't it about time that those who climbed the ladder and have subsequently pulled it up showed some professional pride and spoke out against the destruction and 'hollowing out' of the service they once helped to build instead of overseeing it and openly mocking their staff?
I understand your anger but I think we need to let this one unfold. David Ruse was happy to permit The Library Campaign to post his response on their website.
ReplyDeleteCan the staff really have got it so wrong?