From CILIP UPDATE : July 2009
Swindon battle marks time as critics turn on MLA
EVENTS AT SWINDON (where plans to run four small libraries with only volunteer staff led to local protests) are moving ahead. But little will be known for weeks.
However, there is action on several side-issues thrown up by the long dispute. The focus has turned on MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives Council), whose Chair (Andrew Motion), Chief Executive (Roy Clare) and officers have made various visits to Swindon.
The ‘extended’ local consultation by Swindon council has ended. A paper goes to Allyson Jordan, head of libraries, on 14 July and to the council cabinet on 22 July.
ERS, the consultants controversially called in by MLA, are due to hand in their report as Update goes to press. It will go to the lead member for libraries first. Campaigners, and the public in general, come last on the distribution list. But Allyson says the consultation has been useful: 'Unless you go and talk to people you don’t find out. The results emphasise how much people value the service and the staff.' She will make sure library staff are fully briefed before anything is published.
Meanwhile, MLA is being attacked on two or more fronts. The first row dates back to February, when library consultant Tim Coates was contacted by campaigners and agreed with the council to write a report free of charge. It suggested that better management could make the small savings required without cutting branches, staff or stock.
According to campaigner Shirley Burnham, council officials started to arrange meetings to discuss Tim’s findings, but then reined back. In emails to Tim a council officer said he had had 'independent advice... that it is not appropriate to use the report in any key decision making process. We have been asked to keep this [advice] confidential by the authors...' Further pressure revealed the 'authors' to be MLA. Chief Executive Roy Clare sent Tim a copy of the advice – but declined to say who the writer was or what their brief had been. 'Our analysis does not say you are wrong,' Roy added, 'but that your case is poorly argued with no clear links between your data and your conclusions.'
It did not help that part of the MLA board’s minutes from late 2008 were now being circulated on e-lists, in which Andrew Motion referred dismissively to ‘some of the sector’s most vociferous self-appointed critics... MLA was keen not to give a platform to those without a constructive agenda'. Whoever he might have meant, this gave an unfortunate impression that MLA will engage only with 'critics' it likes.
Tim made an official complaint to DCMS (Department for Culture, Media & Sport) about 'the public and professional conduct of the Chief Executive, the Chair and other officers of the MLA'. DCMS referred it back to MLA in the first instance. Tim accepted this but (with others) had several concerns about lack of information and possible bias in the process. More than one distinguished go-between has tried on Tim's behalf to defuse the row. Tim was also taken seriously ill, but recovered enough to attend the panel two weeks ago. Results are expected soon.
But there has been more. The Taxpayers’ Alliance has made a Freedom of Information request to MLA for copies of all its dealings with Swindon. It complains that many papers have been withheld – including discussions about Tim’s report.
Roy Clare told The Bookseller that MLA had complied with the FoI Act and the criticism was 'wounding'. But he added: 'If a different question were asked, we might have answered in a different way.'
As a final straw, there has been a furious reaction to Roy's recent statement that libraries should have a 'mixed economy' of central libraries, branches and small 'links' in shops, post offices etc. This is not a bad idea in itself, say user representatives such as Alan Gibbons (see above) and the Library Campaign. But Roy must clarify the concept or it will be seized on by councils which want to use links not as further outposts but as substitutes that will enable them to close branches. Andrew Coburn of the Library Campaign is also concerned that Roy seems to be working out his own personal vision, independent of the current public library inquiries – and it does not yet include asking users what they want.