Today (11 December), Cambridgeshire County Council is lighting up 5 of its Libraries “to spotlight their importance in our communities” (“Cambridge Independent” 11 December). But the Council’s actions in relation to the former Mill Road Library continue to be the opposite of illuminating. 

6 days ago, the Council informed Mill Road Winter Fair committee, at just 2 days’ notice and with no publicity, that they were planning a ‘Meet and Greet’ with the ‘preferred bidder’,  “to answer any queries the public might have around his proposals for the property”.  The County then told the Mill Road Winter Fair committee to keep this ‘Meet and Greet’ secret!  

In these circumstances we can only wonder…just how any members of the public, and the local community could have any means of offering any queries to the ‘preferred bidder’??

We did hear about this event, and were among a small handful of local community people able to go along to the ‘Meet and Greet’ with the ‘preferred bidder’ whose name is Dan Ross.   

Neither Dan Ross, nor the County were willing to disclose any information about him.  He was also very generalistic and vague about his proposals; just saying to us initially that he is going to “bring world class artists to The Old Library”.   Dan Ross was asked, but would not say anything, regarding the venues we are told that he runs in London. Leaving both the local, and the wider community essentially in the dark.   

A County council officer (John Macmillan) present in our Old Library on 7th Dec for the ‘Meet and Greet’, said that a public website would be set up in the Spring.  From what he also said regarding the sale of our old Library, this web site will only appear AFTER the County Council has completed the sale.  And so the County Council will absolve itself of all responsibilities in relation to the old Library, while leaving the City Council and the local community to pick up the pieces.  

Subsequent digging has revealed the attached links to Daniel Alexander Ross, the preferred bidder. We have also found out that he runs “Fieldworks” http://www.fieldworks.co in London Fields, London. 

http://nycculturestyle.blogspot.com/2012/04/intersection-cars-now-book-signing.html

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09241717/officers
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/Dpub1C7K3HpktXgyprozlLNgsf8/appointments
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/1zsJ4SxNIf1-kf5r9WBcf49sOpg/appointments
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/wAGAZjiMj5Qw2rTW0wGIk35GVjE/appointments