Author: admin

Last Tuesday at a full Council Meeting it was voted by a majority of one to go ahead with the Libraries Strategy. Three options are to be offered for the future of libraries, but no matter which one is chosen the following results will apply.

Well before  2020  Barnet Libraries will have been replaced  by  a  number  of  libraries in the borough either run for profit by a private enterprise, or  by a mutual struggling to survive, or by community groups with insufficient resources.

Up to two in three library jobs will have gone. They will be replaced by volunteers and machines.

Most surviving libraries will   be smaller, being only 540 square feet in area. Book and audio-visual stock will be reduced, cutting choice. There will be less computers for the public to use and less study space available.

Libraries will be unsafe. For most of its’ opening times a library will not have any staff (or even volunteers) on site. Access will be gained through a swipe card. Unsocial behaviour and theft are not   unknown in libraries today despite staff being on site. The Council will replace on site staffing at these times by CCTV, and “remote voice or video information”.

These changes   will result in disaster for the service, and will discourage use by the public, increasing the likelihood of more closures in the years to come.

UNISON oppose the Library Strategy and call for its replacement with a plan for  that will benefit all those who have a stake a real Library Service.

Join your union in resisting the Council’s attack on libraries and library workers implicit in the Library Strategy.

The vote which was won last night 32 votes to 31 was an amendment to the original motion submitted by Labour Councillor Rebecca Challice which said:

“Delete report recommendations 2-5 and replace with:

2. Council and the Children, Education, Libraries & Safeguarding (CELS) Committee actively supports the ongoing discussions with Brookhill, St Margaret’s and Hampden Way Nursery Schools but recognises that they need more time to resolve budgetary issues and ensure a mutually agreed and sustainable future. Council and the CELS Committee therefore instructs officers to work with these three nursery schools to achieve this and report back to the CELS Committee for a final decision.

3. Council and the CELS Committee supports and agrees the Moss Hall nursery school business plan proposal that will save LB Barnet £160,000 each year from 2016/17, and instructs officers to implement the proposal.”

This means Moss Hall Nursery is now safe for the time being as their proposal has been accepted.

 

Future for St Margaret’s, Brookhill and Hampden Way Nursery Schools

The key sentence is “instructs officers to work with these three nursery schools to achieve this and report back to the CELS Committee for a final decision” the next CELS meeting is on 12 January 2015 see here

Next meeting

The Joint Trade Unions are meeting with their members on Thursday 13 November 2014 at 4.15 at Hampden Way Nursery School to discuss how they will be involved in developing a plan which secures a future for all three schools and the community they proudly serve.