Reading behind the lines of library plans

Maurice O'Brien • Published 26 May 2011 09:30 1 Comment

THE wisdom of placing the running of your libraries in private hands may be a moot point when figures from the National Literacy Trust show one in six Britons have a reading level below that of an 11-year-old.

Wokingham Borough Council clearly sees no irony in announcing this move in a press release brimming with much "outsourcing" and "private sector providers"; albeit admittedly milder examples of management speak guaranteed to make true lovers of the written word wince.

When the council boasts that "as well as offering books" its libraries provide free access to extras such as the all-invasive internet, and collection points for replacement garden waste recycling bags, you might think any "private sector provider" would need to go all out to compete.

But that aside, what caught the eye was what happens when the council's made up its mind. The press release reveals: "The next steps would see the council publish a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union next month to invite expressions of interest to work jointly with the council on this project."

Why? Because as part of the membership criteria which allows the EU's tentacles to reach into every nook, cranny and backwater of our lives, even tenders for running a library in Woodley or Earley must grind their way through the European bureaucratic mixer. By the time the contract's awarded to a "suitable partner" next March it's a safe bet that the costs involved would buy a fair few bags of manure, if not the odd decent book.

That said, it was revealed last week that in its desire to promote democracy and development in North Africa and the Middle East (that's the North Africa and Middle East where populations are in open revolt or are being pounded by NATO bombs in order to remove the incumbent opponent of democracy and development) the EU has committed 13 billion euro to the region for the period between 1995 and 2013. The Open Europe pressure group notes the failure of this policy, the annual Middle East trade deficit's rise from 530million euro to 20.4 billion in four years, and that our cash goes on such democratic cornerstones as the "European-Palestinian Hip-Hop Tour".

Compared with that, Wokingham's library deal is pretty much an open book.

A FRIEND returning from a trip abroad was convinced there had been a Cabinet reshuffle in his absence. Why else, he wondered, should Energy and Climate Change secretary Chris Huhne now be the Speeding Row Minister?

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  Cllr Tahir Maher
  Unregistered User
  Jun 2, 15:30
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  Did anyone read about selling the Libraries in Tory election literature before 5th May, yet by 26th May they have agreed to sell them. This is cynicism gone mad. Do the Tories think we are fickle? This will impact the whole Wokingham community especially young families and the elderly, yet when the Lib Dems proposed a reduction of 5% for councillors Special Responsibilities Allowance (in the same meeting where they voted to sell the libraries off) it was rejected. The Tories obviously wanted to ensure there was no change to the money they get. The Lib Dems will fight this proposed sale. How can councillors ask or expect to be trusted when democracy by the Tories is so cynically abused
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

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