Children, Libraries & Safeguarding

Saving local services has got to be one of the reasons why Green Party councillors were elected this year, and why Brighton & Hove will decide whether to give the Green Party an other chance to implement green policies in the local authority in 2015.

Last week Barnet Tories launched a consultation on local Libraries and the back clash has been pretty formidable.  You can see why they held out till the last minute on certain cuts.  Basically the plan is to replace Librarians with volunteers and put accountants not librarians in charge.  The best option they're offering is a franchise like Lambeth, with reduced floor-space, catalogues, and books.  This may make sense from a free-market perspective but personally I see huge value in Libraries for the young and old, educated and non-IT-literate alike.

They're also planning to cut subsidy to nursery schools, which UNISON members have been taking action on.

Questions will be asked, and the Green Party will be outside with Labour local opposition campaigners, residents and workers organisations, protesting loudly but politely!

P.S. Labour's experienced committee member has put this motion to full council on the 4th Councillor Anne Hutton - Save our Library Service  PDF 13 KB