Swindon Tories Fantastic Fiction Suppressed Staff Plan Plot Line Shock Reveal

The public meeting on the cuts to Swindon's Libraries saw the 'one library' and '4 library' plans kicked into a cocked-hat by the Swindon Borough Council libraries staff's own proposal.

The dictatorial 'we can only afford one library and you should be happy with that' option that's being offered around by Swindon's Tories like a mouldy sandwich is insulting and, arguably, barely legal when seen in the light of the Act that covers library provision.

The slightly less hard option of keeping four libraries in geographically spread-out areas of town makes much more sense.

However this still did make no mention of the vast elephant in the room, no library in east Swindon. The catchment area that Park Library serves is one of the most deprived in Swindon.

Went unchallenged, the one library and four library plan would have left Parks with no library in the area of town that needs it far more than anywhere else. This would have been a national disgrace.

However details of a Swindon Libraries staff proposal came out at the public meeting last night, that includes a library in Park North, and better hours than proposed in the one library and four libraries options.

At last, a glimmer of hope and sense. It's interesting that this proposal to include Park Library and better hours at the other remaining 4 (plus other bits, including a pause in imposing covering the cost of the business rates for the remaining libraries fully onto Swindon Libraries) has come from the library staff themselves.

You'd think that defending the interests of the elderly, the vulnerable, the poor, the jobless, the disabled, indeed the People of Swindon, would be carried out by the councillors of Swindon.

Instead it's being done by brow-beated Swindon Libraries staff, as Swindon's Tory councillors seem to have got their nose stuck in their fantasy novel where private companies run everything, pay for everything and all the poor people have vanished.

There has been no comment from SBC on the staff proposal, or indeed on the claims they have been sat on the staff proposal and not making it public whilst a public consultation is underway.

What a cliffhanger. 

Swindon Tories Fantastic Fiction 2 - Highworth Library Saved Before Public Survey & Report Written

Swindon's Tories have never let democracy or due council process get in the way of their agenda and it seems the future of Swindon's Libraries is no different.

You'll remember back in May, just before the local elections, a leaflet was circulated in Highworth making all sorts of promises about the retention of Highworth's library. Including that it would stay in the same place and retain paid staff.

Just after those elections (in which the Tories retained control of Swindon Borough Council, including the Blunsdon & Highworth seat), it was repeated by Councillor Maureen Penny (Conservative, Blunsdon & Highworth) that the promises made in the leaflet were absolutely correct and will be seen through. She went one better and said that she had gotten a verbal assurance from Councillor David Renard (Conservative, Haydon Wick & Leader of the Swindon Borough Council) and Councillor Garry Perkins (Conservative, Haydon Wick & Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration, and Skills) that the points made in the leaflet would be seen through and that Councillor Renard had seen the leaflet and stands by it.

But, it wasn't until two months later that the report was published which includes the proposal to retain Highworth Library.

So why and how was Councillor Penny able to get assurances about Highworth Library two full months before the report into the future of the libraries was finished and before the public survey on Swindon Libraries (which was part of the report) had even closed (on the 29th April)?

Councillor Penny's election leaflet has 'April' above the list of library promises alongside a convenient photo of Councillor Penny and Councillor Renard as you can see below :

So why was the council report and public survey prejudged?

I'm sure it's nothing to do with it being a true blue tory seat with lots of white, well-off, retired, middle-class tory voters.

I'm sure if a Labour councillor from Parks had demanded that Park Library was promised to stay open, they would have got the same result.

Sorry, that bit's fantastic fiction.