There is growing anger against the deep cuts in public spending enacted by Wirral Council. Thirteen libraries are to close. Swimming baths and community providers are also being affacted. There has been a huge turn-out at the Council’s consultation meetings and last Saturday, 10th January saw several hundred people marching in bitterly cold weather from Wallasey Town Hall to Birkenhead’s Hamilton Square to protest against the cuts.
Authors Steve Barlow, of Barlow and Skidmore, and Alan Gibbons, organizer of the Campaign for the Book, attended and a statement from retiring Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen was read out. Alan spoke to BBC North West condemning the cuts and arguing that the consultation period had been far too short, taking in the Christmas and New Year holiday as it did. In his speech Alan said:
“UNESCO has stated that reading for pleasure is the single most important factor in academic success. This is one of the most important things our kids can do if they are to have a bright future. That is what makes Wirral Council’s actions all the more shocking. Already library services are under threat. Three years running spending on books has dropped and there are 6.2% fewer qualified staff employed than a year ago. Eliminating thirteen out of twenty four libraries on the Wirral is a significant stepping up of the cutbacks.
“Campaign supporters from as far afield as Brazil have emailed Council Leader Steve Foulkes to protest the decision to close libraries and destroy other services. One supporter received a very tetchy reply, indicating that Councillor Foulkes has been stung by the wave of opposition to his policies. He said this:
‘I shall ignore the anger of your email which is very strange for someone who doesn’t even live in the area.’
“This is a very odd statement. Do you really have to live within the council boundaries to know Councillor Foulkes’ actions are wrong?
“Councillor Foulkes also states: ‘I am not”ashamed” of any of the proposals put forward by the Officers of the Council, proposals which have been very carefull looked at and costed.’
“Well, maybe he should be! Closing over half the library branch network is no way to improve reading at a time when many people talk of a national crisis of literacy. Worryingly, this could be the thin end of the wedge. In his New Year message Gordon Brown did not even mention the words public service. I wonder, why do we throw money at banks that have damaged the country, stuffing their mouths with silver, then slash the public services the poorest and most vulnerable people need?
“We must fight, fight, fight for the services ordinary working people struggled for years to create.”
The spotlight now moves to Thursday night when the Council will come to a decision on the cuts. There will be a lobby at Wallasey Town Hall at 5.30pm.
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January 13th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I am an employee and user of Wirral Libraries (writing as a resident of Wirral not as a employee), I would just like to share the bizarre statement (by email) made by Angela Eagle MP at last Saturdays March to Save Wirral’s Services. Ms Eagle suggested that some of Wirral’s Libraries could be saved by handing them over to the community! Yes of course Ms Eagle, that’s a great idea, because everybody knows that all Library staff do is stamp and date books! Just because you don’t need any qualifications to be a politician………