This interesting Email simply must be shared with readers:
Dear RMBC Cllrs Ellis, Read and Hoddinott,
I have received the attached information relating to planned “changes” (aka “cuts”) to our local libraries service and I am astonished to find that our own magnificent library here at Wickersley which is currently open for 45 hours per week is proposed to be cut to 40 hours per week!.
Our library has 66990 visits per year and 3642 active borrowers (among the highest number according to RMBC’s own figures!
I note with a sense of sarcasm and profound disappointment that by comparison the library in the Aston Ward will INCREASE its hours while it boasts a minuscule amount of support from its host community – Aston Library – currently open for 44.5 hours per week -53155 visits per year – 3158 active borrowers – proposed increase hours to 49 per week.
Once again the residents and ratepayers of Wickersley are destined to be disadvantaged and to see their hours transferred to a community who show nowhere near the level of support as that of Wickersley’s residents and ratepayers.
My feeling is that once again my village is on the receiving end “of the Grald effect”.
Please will you inform me of the following at your earliest convenience –
(a) do you intend to oppose the proposed reduction in Wickersley’s Library hours?
(b) if not, why not?
(c) what specific, measurable, active measures you intend to take to oppose the proposed reduction in Wickersley Library’s hours?
(d) do you intend to organise any public meetings, and when and where, across Wickersley Ward to inform the public of your plans to oppose the proposed reduction in Wickersley Library’s hours?
(e) do you plan to oppose the proposed reduction in Wickersley Library’s hours within –
1. the Rotherham Labour Group, 2. RMBC Cabinet, 3. at full Council Meetings?
(f) if none of the 3 above, please inform me why not.
(g) do you intend to make use of the media to conduct a campaign of opposition to the proposed reduction in Wickersley Library’s hours.
I also note with considerable derision that RMBC are spuriously claiming to be responsible for the creation of the new Wickersley Library, whereas in fact it is my firm belief that the Wickersley Community Centre and Library building is owned by Wickersley Parish Council and was a project that was initiated and actioned and funded entirely by our Parish Council and that RMBC merely rent space from the Parish Council to use for library purposes!
Yours Sincerely,
Donald H. Buxton
See also: Libraries Consultation? Will this be the usual sham?
Rotherham Politics 
A good post Mr Buxton, however do not expect any action or support from Emma Hoddinott, she may make the right noises but behind your back she will toe the party line.
In reality Emma has one of the MP job in her sites and will trample over anyone who gets in her way, watch out Mr Hussain and Mrs Rushforth.
Emma came last in the Barnsley Central selection against Dan Jarvis, someone with real life experience, unlike a full time UNISON Officer who spends her time going on union junkets at a cost to the membership.
So elected to RMBC the junketing world is now her oyster!
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Dear Cerberus,
You certainly know where to find those awkward embarrassing facts that RMBC Corn Fed Grunters, Muppets and Clowns wish would never again see the bright shining light of scrutiny.
I for one didn’t know that Ms Hoddinott had been unsuccessfully hawking her CV around the county looking for a safe well-paid index-linked-pension Parliamentary ride to Parliament, although I did know her current employment status as a UNISON full-time officer.
Wickersley residents and ratepayers won’t be easy tame dogs who lie gently down and let her tickle their tummies. No Sir, they’re active, empowered, educated citizens with a strong Non-Conformist history, so better watch out Ms, eh?
I note the point you make about Dan Jarvis, a man who has bravely served his country on the frontline against our nation’s enemies, and will have had to make many many life-critical decisions while under constant enemy fire.
I raise my hat to him for his bravery, patriotism and service.
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Strange coincidence that all of a sudden all the cuts start comming AFTER the Election, someone was aware they were going to happen BEFORE the Election, they did the usual missleading trick of waiting until their seats were safe.
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Hit the nail on the head there!
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Does anyone have any suggestions where cuts could be made instead of in the library services? Maybe we could start by not funding union officials, the so-called “Pilgrims”. They should be paid for out of union funds, not council tax payers’ money.
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PIlgrims indeed
This from the Times Educational Supplement 19th May via Guido Fawkes site
“Despite widespread austerity cuts, local authorities still spend millions of pounds subsidising the education unions – but some cash-strapped councils are reducing their funding by as much as 50 per cent, it can be revealed. New research by TES has revealed that local authorities spent more than £8.5 million on facility time for the education unions in 2011-12. But many of the 90 local authorities who responded, out of a total of 152, revealed significant cuts to their facility time budgets.
Rotherham has, for example, cut its funding by almost half, from £112,000 in 2010-11 to £57,000 the following year. Oldham Council cut its facility time budget by £23,000 in the same period, amounting to a 29 per cent reduction. Other authorities reporting considerable cuts included Buckinghamshire (15 per cent), Hertfordshire (14 per cent) and Bolton (13 per cent
I passed this on to Rothpol the same day as I thought he might want to run with it.
Today Guido is reporting that Francis Maude is about to do battle on this issue.
CAS
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