Carillion and LS&S; the dangers of library privatisation.

Carillion

It's amazing how many people didn't know that Carillion ran 4 library services in London.
In 2012 Harrow, Ealing, Hounslow and Croydon outsourced their library services to John Laing Integrated Services who then sold the contract on to Carillion in 2013. In 2017 Hounslow terminated its contract with Carillion and in the last few days Croydon followed suit after news that the firm had been liquidated, but even before the final crash came about news was coming out of the borough that Carillion were doing a bad job and couldn't even pay their newspapers bills!
Harrow and Ealing have yet to play their hands both claiming that it would be too costly to take the services back in-house and look likely to re-outsource with GLL being mentioned in some quarters.
I've been keeping tabs on Carillion's library venture since 2013 and have consistently over this time heard from good sources that they were making a real hash of things. Right from the start Unison, the main union representing library workers, experienced barriers in negotiating recognition agreements which really isn't that surprising considering Carillion's involvement in a major blacklisting scandal. If you wanted tangible proof of their mismanagement you only had to visit Croydon Central Library, it was a mess with half-empty and untidy shelves, one of the worst children's libraries you've ever seen and a visible lack of staff or even self-service kiosks that worked, it was a disgrace.
Anyway Carillion are no more and i live in hope that this has acted as a wake up call to councils, especially Labour ones, who are considering privatising such a crucial statutory service.

LS&S (formerly LSSI)

The US private library firm LS&S have recently lost a contract in Santa Clarita, California. Staffing shortages, unfilled vacancies, low morale and a drastic drop in usage have been cited as the reasons for termination of the contract. Now this didn't come as a surprise to my comrade Lori Rivas and other campaigners/users in Santa Clarita who not only put up an epic battle against privatisation in the first place but have also been raising issues and concerns since the contract was signed. Solidarity and congratulations to Lori et al.
Last week, after a law suit and community protests, LS&S won the contract to run libraries in nearby Escondido. Campaigners have vowed to keep fighting and let's hope they do.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/17/london-libraries-assess-impact-of-carillion-collapse
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-library-outsourcing-20180110-story.html
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-library-opposition-20180116-story.html

Save Bob Lawrence Library Campaign - an update.

Save Bob Lawrence Library

 

 

 

A grassroots resident led campaign to save the library in Edgware from closure is underway.  Campaigners braved the rain this morning to bring signatures to over 1500.  There is still time to sign the e-petition https://www.change.org/p/harrow-council-save-the-bob-lawrence-library  and complete the Council’s consultation document, Take Part.

In 2013, at the Reading Agency Annual Lecture, Neil Gaiman said “Libraries really are the gates to the future. So it is unfortunate that, round the world, we observe local authorities seizing the opportunity to close libraries as an easy way to save money, without realising that they are stealing from the future to pay for today. They are closing the gates that should be open.”

He also said: “…libraries are about freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education (which is not a process that finishes the day we leave school or university), about entertainment, about making safe spaces, and about access to information.  I worry that here in the 21st century people misunderstand what libraries are and the purpose of them. If you perceive a library as a shelf of books, it may seem antiquated or outdated in a world in which most, but not all, books in print exist digitally. But that is to miss the point fundamentally….. But libraries are also, for example, places that people, who may not have computers, who may not have internet connections, can go online without paying anything: hugely important when the way you find out about jobs, apply for jobs... Librarians can help these people navigate that world.”

Between 2004 and 2010, 83 neighbourhoods in Brent and Harrow became more deprived, one of the fastest growing areas of deprivation.  Edgware, where Bob Lawrence is situated ranked the most deprived when Free School Meals was used as an indicator and is one of the 5 most deprived wards in the borough.  In the circumstances, it makes little sense to close Bob Lawrence Library, a vital community space in an area which has few resources.

To support the campaign, you can do the following:

·         Sign the e-petition to stop the closure https://www.change.org/p/harrow-council-save-the-bob-lawrence-library  or sign in person at Morrisons, Queensbury on Sunday 4^th January 2015.

·         Attend the In-Person Consultation on Tuesday, 6^th  January 2015, 6:30 pm – 8 pm at Bob Lawrence Library, 6-8 North Parade, Mollison Way, HA8 5QH 

·         Follow us on Twitter @librarymuststay, https://twitter.com/librarymuststay 

·         Like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/boblawrencelibrary & leave a comment.

·         Take a selfie in front of library & post it on Twitter & Facebook. 

·         Email any suggestions to saveboblawrencelibrary@gmail.com

 

Farah Sadiq

Bob Lawrence Library Campaign

 

Background Information

Neil Gaiman Reading Agency Annual Lecture, 2013

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/datablog/2012/apr/12/deprivation-poverty-london#data

Harrow Vitality Profiles 2010

Save Bob Lawrence Library - An open letter to Harrow Council.

The open letter below is from a library campaigner in Harrow who along with others is trying to prevent the closure of their local library.

They have also set up an online petition;

https://www.change.org/p/harrow-council-save-the-bob-lawrence-library



An open letter to the Harrow Council

A couple of weeks ago, I found out that the Bob Lawrence Library on Mollison way was earmarked for possible closure due to budget cuts. I was extremely disappointed to hear this as it is the closest and most conveniently located library for this community.

Libraries are a resource for education, a venue for socializing, a community and cultural building establishment and a low cost channel for a whole host of facilities beyond just borrowing books.

I embarked on a campaign to save the Bob Lawrence Library two weeks ago and have been actively gathering support through signed petitions both online and offline. So far I have managed to gather over 600 signatures from people who want to keep the library.

Over the last two weeks, I have come to understand how important the library is to our little community and how many people are dependent on it.

I have come across so many people who will be affected by the closure of this establishment.

An eight year old boy comes to the library because his mother cannot afford a computer. He comes here to complete his assignments. He's not the only one.

A woman shared that she is upgrading her skills to make a better life for her family. The library staff taught her how to use the computer so that she can complete her teaching diploma. She is at the library 3 times a day. The staff are like her family.

A number of elderly people are at the library every morning. The walk to the library is their morning exercise, they spend a few hours at the library flipping through Gujarati books and socializing. They tell me that it keeps body and mind active.

A young mother of two children under 2 is a regular at Rhyme Time. It's her outlet to meet other young mothers. Her two little ones will only make it to nursery when she gets the 15 hours free. She can't afford a nursery without the free hours.

These are only a handful of stories. I have so many more heart wrenching stories to share.

Let me introduce you to our library users -

1. Between 20 - 30 toddlers regularly visit this library 3 times a week for the Rhyme Time sessions. They laugh and they sing and they stay on to color. The young mothers meet other mothers and exchange stories/ideas on parenting.

The grand parents watch as their grand children jump up and down to "5 cheeky monkeys" and many other popular nursery rhymes. Most of the nurseries in the area have a minimum age of 2 making this a popular venue for engaging and stimulating the under 2 year olds in a fun social setting.

2. There are multiple nurseries within a 10 minute walk to the library. These nurseries regularly visit the libraries, children in toll to develop an early interest in reading and a love for books. Often the library conducts adhoc rhyme time sessions and story telling specifically for the local nurseries.

3. Children from at least 3 schools visit the library after school. It provides a great resource especially in terms of literature, arts and history. In the age of technology, they prefer to skim through books. To them, digital compliment libraries, it does not replace them as a resource for knowledge.

4. Many of the older people in the community come to the library to flip through magazines and read newspapers. They socialize with friends. There is no other place on this parade of shops  for this group of people to sit indoors and connect with other people.

They will not be represented in the very expensive survey that the council is conducting because the survey is 10 pages of questions and for many of these people, English  is not a 1st language. It's an English only survey in a community that is predominantly non-English speaking! Will the feedback and information from this exercise really represent the community sentiments?

It's a poor community. They need the library to stay open because it makes a difference to the quality of their lives! Something many of us take for granted.

I went to the in-person consultation session and was told that the council needs to make these cuts. Choose between social services for the old or the library. I should not have to make this choice. The council budget should be better managed without the community having to make sacrifices on basic needs & services.

Instead of spending thousands of pounds on the library survey, it should have been invested in increasing the traffic coming through the council managed libraries.

The alternative options provided are

1. Kingsbury library.  This is inconveniently located and difficult to get to. It's also managed by the Brent council. If Brent decides to make its own cuts and close this library the community will not be able to use this as an alternative source of library services.

2. Reducing the hours open. This will eventually mean restricted access to library which in turn will result in less footfall. So a year from now, we will be having the same discussion on relevance of keeping the library open based on traffic / usage numbers.

3. Self managed libraries with access cards and CCTV. In other words, the council is prepared to invest thousands of pounds in more technology and infrastructure for the handful of libraries to be kept open at the expense of the unlucky communities which will see their beloved library closed permanently with no viable alternative in sight.

The fate of the library rests on the feedback from the survey which is not representative of the community here. I can only hope that the council weighs out all considerations before determining whether this library should close its doors to our little community!

Privatisation in Bromley and closures, cuts and volunteers in Harrow.

 

Bromley

Bromley Council invites residents to have their say on future of borough’s libraries

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11642869.Bromley_Council_invites_residents_to_have_their_say_on_future_of_borough___s_libraries/

 

"Residents have been asked to air their views on proposals to hand over the management of libraries to external providers.

Local volunteer or social enterprise groups would manage community libraries in Burnt Ash, Hayes, Mottingham, Shortlands, Southborough and St Paul’s Cray under the plans.

The borough’s remaining libraries would be subject to a full market testing exercise, which would see the council examine options to outsource management to an external provider.
The council also plans to look at relocating or refurbishing existing libraries and upgrading IT services."

Harrow

Proposed cuts to Harrow library services announced

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/11622494.Proposed_cuts_to_library_services_announced/

"The closure of four libraries is just one of the options proposed by Harrow Borough Council to save money in next year’s budget.

They are Bob Lawrence Library, in Edgware, Hatch End Library, in the Harrow Arts Centre, North Harrow Library, in Pinner Road, and Rayners Lane Library, in Imperial Drive.

Another option put forward by the council is to cut opening hours at all libraries, apart from Gayton Library, to 22 and a half hours per week, which would save the council £250,000.

A third option put forward by the council is to give community groups the chance to run library services, with the council only paying for new stock and computer provision."

 

for the petition to Save the Bob Lawrence Library see; https://www.change.org/p/harrow-council-save-the-bob-lawrence-library, the campaign is also on twitter @librarymuststay

 

Campaigner dismisses culture minister's visit to threatened Harrow libraries as 'political stunt'

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/campaigner-dismisses-culture-ministers-visit-8252183

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Sajid Javid, visits North Harrow library http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/11652944.Government_minister_visits_library_earmarked_for_closure/
 

North Harrow community to join together to fight for library

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/NEWS/11637980.Community_to_join_together_to_fight_for_library/

 

Harrow Libraries.

'Harrow braced for cuts in library staff under new manager;

Carillion, which has taken over the running of Harrow's 11 libraries, is to review staffing with job losses likely' (27/12/13)

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/harrow-braced-cuts-library-staff-6448402

'Positive future' no more as library management company in consultation with staff over redundancies;

Operator of library services in Harrow confirm they are consulting on redundancies.' (19/12/13)

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/incoming/positive-future-no-more-library-6432962
 

Update on Carillion.

In response to my recent post entitled 'The law of the building site; Carillion and public libraries' I've received the following information;

Approx 100 individuals have been given "at risk of redundancy" notices across Croydon, Ealing, Harrow and Hounslow Libraries and Culture. Carillion employ about 500 people in Libraries in the four Boroughs, so this is about 20% of all staff.  The distribution of "at risk" individuals/roles is not evenly distributed across the Boroughs, some have less some have more.

These restructure proposals were written in early 2013 before the Carillion buy out of JLIS. The implementation date for the new structure, which would involve a minimum of 30 job losses across the four Boroughs, has been set for 1st of February 2014.

I've been told that there are both zero hours and agency staff in all the Boroughs. These people could theoretically be sacked with a week's notice, so may be that's where this comment came from.

In respect of Children's and Youth Services, and library services in general, I've been told that Carillion appear to have no basic interest in these and really only bought JLIS out to gain access to their 'Facilities Management' contracts.

I've also been told that negotiations are ongoing over restructuring and redundancies and that the zero-hours issue has also been raised.

The law of the building site; Carillion and public libraries.

If a recent comment posted on my site is to be believed, and I have no reason to doubt it, then it looks as if Carillion have tried to introduce the law of the building site into public libraries;

"Well in Harrow ALL the managers and qualified librarians and back room (stock services) staff were given their marching orders. Upwards of 20 staff sacked with 1 week notice. The union is involved now and the staff have not left yet. Carillion haven't finished yet, they are set to look at other groups of staff, eg schools + young peoples services next. Meanwhile new recruits are going on a zero hours contract."

I've heard stories from friends who work on building sites that they and other workers have been told to pack their tools with a days, a weeks or with no notice. This, and blacklisting, seems to be common practise in the construction industry. 

This shocking news about Harrow fits in with the other bits and pieces I've heard from Ealing and Croydon where staff are being threatened with redundancies and 'restructuring', many more will flee with ER/VR packages if they can get them? As yet i haven't heard anything from Hounslow, but that's not surprising as it's always been very hard to get inside information from that service.

The comment about zero-hours contracts doesn't surprise me, GLL also use these in Greenwich and Wandsworth Libraries, as far as we know? What is shocking is that they are no longer just being used to keep a pool of temps such as students and the retired, who may be suited by these arrangements, to cover busy periods but it's being claimed that they are now being used for all new recruits? This is a worrying escalation.

If this cull does take place then many skilled and professional staff will be lost and the staff who are left behind may find themselves having to deal with short staffing, increased workloads and low morale which will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on the quality of the service.

A Public Service Award for ignoring the public and privatising (and cutting) public services!

The Guardian have just awarded their Public Service Awards for 2013 and the one that immediately caught my eye was the winner of the 'Financial Excellence Award', Brent, Harrow and Ealing councils. They apparently won the award for;

"..combining their purchasing power and driving a hard bargain, three west London councils are turning loss-making leisure centres and libraries that were heading for closure into modern community hubs."

Now i can't really comment on the leisure centres part of this, won by all three councils, apart from saying that they should be managed in-house, but i can and will comment on the libraries part.

A short while ago Harrow and Ealing outsourced their libraries to John Laing Integrated Services (JLIS), who also ran Hounslow and Croydon Libraries, even though in Harrow 74% of those consulted said that they wanted the service to remain in-house and in Ealing, Unison and library users protested against the handover.
Then approx 4 weeks ago JLIS where bought-out by Carillion, the support services and construction firm who along with others where instigated in the blacklisting scandal, they have also been accused of bullying staff into accepting lower terms and conditions at a hospital in Swindon. This buyout was apparently done without consultation and apparently came as a surprise to the staff and service users effected.

I will also mention Brent, although they haven't outsourced their libraries they did close 6 of them despite huge public protest and according to recent CIPFA data the performance of the service has deteriorated considerably since then.

Whether you class outsourcing/privatising and cutting services as 'Financial Excellence' and thus worthy of an award really depends on what side of the political fence you sit on, something i wish the Guardian would make it's mind up about before making unsubstantiated statements such as;
"Contracting out the management of leisure centres and libraries to not-for-profit trusts through innovative, multi-borough contracts will create more modern and inclusive services, and save an estimated £30m over 10 years."

JLIS bought out by Carillion

A few weeks ago a couple of big birdies told me that JLIS, the company that manages Hounslow, Ealing, Harrow and Croydon Libraries, where soon to be bought out. And lo and behold;

"The company John Laing, which includes Croydon LBC and Tunbridge Wells BC among its contracted clients, announced it had sold its support services and facilities management business to Carillion plc because it no longer fitted with core business.
All staff in the division, called John Laing Integrated Services (JLIS), have transferred directly over.
The sale was unconditional and took place on 18 October 2013."

http://www.lgcplus.com/laing-sells-out-to-carillion/5064520.article?blocktitle=Latest-Local-Government-News&contentID=2249

What this will mean for users and staff who knows? Although it must be a little unsettling to say the least as staff and users in Ealing, Harrow & Croydon have only just got to know JLIS in the last few weeks (Hounslow has been run by them for over 5 years) and are now going to have to start again. A recent article also raises concerns about the lack of communication and consultation involved in the takeover;

"It is understood members of staff at the libraries were not informed of the sale and only realised a change had taken place after they noticed their emails had changed last weekend.
There is also confusion as to how the handover with Carillion will take place, with employees being told that previous arrangements with JLIS such as child credits are now suspended until further notice."
 

The other thing that might worry staff is the Carillion's reputation for being anti-union and for cutting jobs and terms and conditions, see;
http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/gmb-carillion-swindon-protest-over-cuts  

I'm sure we will find out soon enough!

For an excellent analysis see;

http://insidecroydon.com/2013/10/25/library-operators-carillions-shady-record-on-blacklistings/
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/10/22/laing-exit-library-business-after-taking-over-in-croydon/

Library contractor takes over running of Harrow's services - Harrow Times - 05/09/13

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10657095.Library_contractor_takes_over_running_of_borough_s_services/

"The new operator of the borough’s libraries took over the running of services this week.
Harrow Borough Council signed an outsourcing contract of five years with John Laing Integrated Services (JLIS).
As part of the deal, JLIS will now deliver services at all libraries in Harrow in collaboration with neighbouring borough of Ealing."

 

Union concerned over new library outsourcing contract - Harrow Times - 07/06/13

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10470912.Union_concerned_over_new_library_outsourcing_contract/

"Union members have raised concerns over the new outsourcing contract for the running of library services agreed last night.
Members of Harrow Unison raised a number of concerns over the new libraries contract before it was agreed at the meeting of Harrow Borough Council's cabinet.
The deal was for library services to be run by John Laing Integrated Services Ltd in partnership with the neighbouring borough of Ealing."

"Council leader Thaya Idaikkadar said at the meeting: “With the state of the economy in Harrow and for everyone at the moment we have to be pragmatic.
“The public of Harrow really values these services and people will be more concerned about keeping them than who is running them."

The above statement from the Leader of the Council especially  "people will be more concerned about keeping them than who is running them." is quite disgraceful considering in 2011 Harrow Council held a public consultation where the majority of those consulted said that they wanted the management of their Library Service kept in-house and not privatised!

"The results of the Let’s Talk consultation had indicated that residents did not want the libraries to be outsourced to anyone other than the Council. The Divisional Director acknowledged this but advised that the proposal was that the management of the libraries be commissioned but that the Council would retain sovereignty over its library service and would continue to drive the strategic vision for the service.The alternatives, given the current financial imperatives, could be even more unpalatable for Members and residents."

What makes this even more puzzling is a statement made in 2009 by
Cllr Bill Stephenson, Leader of Harrow’s Labour Group, in response to proposals by the Conservative administration to outsource leisure service including libraries;

“This is a very serious matter indeed. Many residents will be appalled at the idea of libraries, for example, being outsourced. Councillors, local residents, and arts and sports organisations will want to be fully consulted before any decision is made."

Harrow to make privatisation decision on 6/6/13

Harrow Council are holding a special cabinet meeting on Thursday 6/6/13 to make the decision about privatising their Library Service to JLIS.
For the agenda and cabinet reports see:
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/www2/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=249&MId=62202

My sources tell me that Harrow Unison are planning to hold a lobby of the Council outside the 
Town Hall on Thursday 6/6/13 between 5-6.30pm.

Library and Leisure Services to be Contracted Out - Ealing Today - 16/5/13

http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/shared/eacouncil172.htm

"A meeting of Ealing Council on 21st May is to be asked to rubber stamp a proposal to contract out library and leisure services in the borough.

If the plan is approved, John Laing Ltd. will take over the running of the library service. They already run the libraries in Hounslow and Harrow and the latter borough would act as the client on behalf of London Borough of Ealing in what would be a shared contract."

Just to remind everyone that there is a lobby against the privatisation proposals outside Ealing Town Hall on 21/5/13 at 6.30pm.

Library outsourcing decision delayed due to Labour split - Harrow Observer - 09/05/13

http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2013/05/09/library-outsourcing-decision-delayed-due-to-labour-split-116451-33305766/

"A DECISION whether to outsource the running of Harrow's libraries to a not-for-profit trust has been delayed due to the collapse of the cabinet committee.
Councillors were meant to meet this evening to discuss whether to hand the day-to-day management of 11 branches to the John Laing Integrated Services in order to save money and improve visitor numbers.
However, the cabinet committee meeting was cancelled after the announcement yesterday that nine Labour councillors, including the leader of the council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, were splitting to form their own Independent Labour group. Consequently, the other portfolio holders comprising the cabinet, all now rival Labour group members, were dismissed."

for more on this see the new comment by 'anonymous' at;
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/is-harrow-going-to-privatise-its.html#comment-form

 

Harrow and Ealing; an update

It seems that Harrow and Ealing have put of the decision to privatise their library services for another month, the decision was due in April but now wont be made untill May 2013.
I'm afraid i don't know the reason for this but it seems to be the norm in procurement processes.

For background see;
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/www2/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=77847
http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/ealing-news/local-ealing-news/2013/02/11/private-companies-could-play-role-in-running-ealing-libraries-64767-32788646/

also;
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Harrow




 

Statement from Ealing Unison on the privatisation proposals

I have just received this statement from Ealing Unison

Ealing's Labour Council invites tenders for privatisation of the Libraries

Two bids to take over Ealing Libraries are being considered by Ealing's Labour Council at this moment.  The saving the Council wants to make by this wholesale removal of a service and all 15 Libraries in Ealing from the public domain is only £250,000.  The majority of this saving is said to be from 'business rates'.  UNISON is dismayed that £6.4 million can be spent by the Council on consultants yet £250, 000 cannot be found to avoid  privatisation.

Considering this Labour Council was not voted in to privatise services, nor has its stated aims been a privatisation of services but the opposite, it seems strange that this is its first port of call to find a saving that is small compared to other savings it could make instead.  The Council also see no reason to consult the public about this as they say there will be no detrimental impact on the service offered to the public.

The history of  privatisation in Ealing is that it fails. The return to Council ownership in recent years of Housing Benefits, Housing and Highways are all examples of the failure of privatisation. All those services are better run and managed and producing a better service to the public now returned to direct control and management by the Council.  Private companies seek to make a profit and make savings by reducing staff numbers and pay the staff they recruit less money. In Libraries a private company taking over the service may also seek to use unpaid and untrained volunteers, rather than qualified and paid staff.

It is a risk to Council tax-payers money therefore to out-source a service that on the evidence of history will have to be brought back in-house in a few years with the costs this entails. It is our community that is disempowered by such actions.  As Ealing residents we own our libraries, outsourcing takes them out of our hands and out of accountable control.

Ealing UNISON therefore urges the Labour Council to reject any option to privatise the Library service at the Cabinet meeting on 18 February and to find other ways to save £250k than the wholesale privatisation of all Ealing's Libraries.

It is also Ealing Unison's understanding that the proposal to privatise the library service has been put back a month until March due to last minute complications and that Harrow Library service will be part of the bid and that Harrow will be in charge of administration resulting in three posts being put at risk in Ealing. I've also been told that the preferred bidders are the usual suspects and we all know who they are!

Is Harrow going to privatise its Library service?

Below is a conversation on Twitter I had yesterday with fellow Library Campaigner Shirley Burnham about Harrow Council's plans for its Library service, and their response;

Shirley Burnham‏@ShirleyBurnham

"great improvements" to libs promised in Harrow (hope these don't incl any *hollowing out* or staff losses) http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10185524.Harrow_residents_are_capital_s_third_highest_book_borrowers/ … @UKpling

 

Alan Wylie‏@wylie_alan

@ShirleyBurnham @UKpling no privatise but you didn't hear it from me!

 

Shirley Burnham‏@ShirleyBurnham

@wylie_alan @UKpling Yours is a valid Libraries question for @harrow_council I trust they will respond. Or that @harrow_times will ask them

Borough of Harrow‏@harrow_council
@shirleyburnham @wylie_alan Thanks for getting in touch. This is just one of the options, we have to explore different proposals in order to run as efficient a service as possible & keep libraries open. Discussions are continuing & more details will follow in the near future.

It's no secret that Harrow (and Ealing) have been considering the option of privatisation for some time see my full correspondence with them on this matter
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Harrow
the worrying thing is that it's Labour Councillors who are pushing this!

 

Council plans to privatise libraries are rejected as “lazy” - InsideCroydon - 09/08/2012

http://insidecroydon.com/2012/08/09/council-plans-to-privatise-libraries-are-rejected-as-lazy/

"The opposition group on Croydon Council has threatened to torpedo the on-going privatisation of the borough’s library service by refusing to commit to continue working with any outside organisations which may win the year-long bidding process to take on the running of libraries in Croydon and Wandsworth."
"Councillor Timothy Godfrey, Croydon Labour’s spokesman on libraries, has rejected the council’s costly outsourcing procurement process, saying, “Privatisation is simply a lazy approach.”

Don't you just love Labour's consistency on these matters, while i welcome their stance in Croydon it seems very odd in light of what their compatriots are proposing in Harrow!

Also it appears that Croydon Labour are proposing the same cooperative libraries vision that Lambeth are so keen on, which has drawn opposition from local campaigners.

More from Harrow!

Mr Wylie

You ask what has changed since 2009, the answer to this is the
Government cutting 28% of funding to local authorities (this equates to
well over £50 million pound over 4 years).

When local Councillors are faced with this level of funding reductions,
difficult decisions will need to be made. It is not just our library
service which we are exploring savings from, but all services and
budgets across the whole Council.

With regards to the 2011 cultural services consultation, I am fully
aware of the results, but it must be mentioned that 60% of the people
who responded ticked 'they do not use the library service'. The one
omission we missed out of the consultation was to include the question,
‘Do you want to keep Libraries open?’...If this question was inserted
then I am sure the response would have been 100%, and this is exactly
what the Labour administration has always said we would do.

As stated below no final decisions have been taken on this issue. A
decision is due in December 2012.

Regards

Cllr. David Perry
Marlborough Ward
Portfolio Holder for Community & Cultural Services

The response from Harrow Councillor David Perry and my response!

Alan Wylie

Thank you for your email.

Local authorities are facing unprecedented reductions to their budgets
from central Government in the current economic climate. There are some
very difficult choices to make in trying to protect frontline services
- and other authorities across the country and locally have taken the
decision to drastically reduce their library service. Officers are
trying to give Councillors and residents a full range of choices in
Harrow to ensure a stable future for our library service. Looking at
whether it is possible to commission services from other contractors is
one of those options.

However, no final decisions have yet been made. Officers will bring
back a report on the outcome of our tender process later in 2012.
Councillors will then make a decision based on what we think is right
for Harrow.

Can I also point out that in Harrow this year we will be investing in
our Libraries and updating aging computers and networks along with
installing Wi-Fi for the service users (free of charge). So I feel that
the Labour Administration in Harrow is committed not only to improving
our Library Service, but also taking potential steps to protect this
valuable service.

Regards

Cllr. David Perry
Marlborough Ward
Portfolio Holder for Community & Cultural Services

My Response;

Dear Cllr Perry,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I'm fully aware of the financial difficulties that local authorities are facing, I work for one, i also sit on the Unison London Regional Libraries Forum and campaign on a national basis for the preservation of publicly funded and professionally staffed public libraries!

Your reply doesn't answer my main point and that is that you held a consultation with residents and service users and they said no to the outsourcing and privatisation of their library service! What is the point of conducting a consultation if you aren't prepared to listen, it's not surprising that generally the public have a very cynical view of local democracy, and consultations, is it?
What makes this even more puzzling is a statement made in 2009 by
Cllr Bill Stephenson, Leader of Harrow’s Labour Group, in response to proposals by the Conservative administration to outsource leisure service including libraries;

“This is a very serious matter indeed. Many residents will be appalled at the idea of libraries, for example, being outsourced. Councillors, local residents, and arts and sports organisations will want to be fully consulted before any decision is made."

Why have you changed your position?

Also what research have you undertaken, have you or any of the other cllrs visited a privatised library service, have you talked to the frontline staff, talked to the users and analysed how a private firm makes a profit out of one? I have and have seen staff downgraded or made redundant, pay and terms and conditions cut, union recognition ignored, the ratio of qualified professional librarians diminished (Newhall Library in the US run by LSSI has no qualified librarians!); I've seen users views ignored in Wokingham, Croydon/Wandsworth, Hounslow, Greenwich, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and many more places!

What is vitally important is that libraries remain publicly funded and accountable to service users not shareholders!

If you would like to discuss this issue in more detail i would be very happy to meet with you.


Yours

Alan Wylie


the original email
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/my-letter-to-harrow-cllrs-in-favour-of.html