Dear Supporters,

Please join us tomorrow outside Ealing Town Hall, 6 pm to lobby the Council over its decision to continue with its Library cuts, ahead of the Scrutiny Review Meeting to look over Ealing’s Draft Libraries Strategy 2019-2023. Please see the. Press Release below ��

Save Ealing Libraries Campaign

In spite of the disappointing decision by Ealing Council Cabinet to go ahead with the proposals contained in the library report document, the Save Ealing Libraries Campaign will continue to fight for all the local libraries at risk (namely, Greenford, Hanwell, Northfields, Perivale, Pitshanger, West Ealing & Wood End Libraries), and for a service provided by paid and fully trained Library workers who understand the needs of our community.

Contrary to recent reports in the Ealing Gazette we do not believe that libraries are about to be “saved” by volunteer or third sector community organisations. We will not know which bids for community managed libraries have been successful until the end of October 2019 by which time a large percentage of library staff will be serving their notice period prior to being made redundant in time for Christmas. In fact, today during the council consultations with Ealing Libraries’ workers staff were told “there will be a loss of about 105 jobs across the borough.”, (James Conlon, UNISON).

We believe that many of the organisations expressing an interest in taking over the libraries are more interested in utilising the space provided on these sites than in running an efficient and comprehensive library service. The promise of a peppercorn rent for six years must also be tempting for organisations like the Workary/Wimbletech and Ealing Law Centre.

Libraries that are run by voluntary groups are not viable in the long term however well-intentioned the individuals involved may be. There is considerable statistical and academic research that suggests that over time opening hours will reduce and that they will eventually fail (see, for example, national libraries campaigner, Alan Wylie’s summary on this very point, https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/public-libraries-are-vital-to-local-communities-labour-must-fight-to-defend-them/

This is effectively closure by stealth.  These libraries are being set up to fail. Ealing is attempting to pass responsibilities for a statutory service on to reluctant communities and, if the project fails, exonerate itself from any blame.

The consultation in Ealing was a sham. The survey was full of leading questions designed to elicit a certain response. Many of us were unaware of the involvement of Lake Market Research until the Cabinet document was circulated in July. It would be interesting to see if the consultation survey stands up to legal scrutiny or academic examination.

Many other councils are facing similar financial hardship to Ealing and this is undoubtedly due to Government austerity policies. These councils, however, have not chosen to follow the same path as Ealing. For example, the neighbouring boroughs of Hounslow and Hillingdon have chosen to retain all their libraries under council control with trained library staff providing the service.

Why hasn’t Ealing looked at other options? Why doesn’t Ealing use the community infrastructure levy? Ealing appears to be one vast building site at present.  Why can’t the Council’s developer friends, such as A2 Dominion, pay for the library service?

The Library service constitutes a tiny proportion, approximately 1% of the Council budget, yet the benefits it provides to local people is incalculable. From the youngest to the oldest, to the poorest and most vulnerable, libraries enrich the lives of all that use them. Libraries are the last truly democratic spaces on the High Street and a last bastion of shared community values that bind us together.

Our Campaign to save the library service in Ealing will continue. We will carry on fighting for a full and comprehensive library service across the borough provided by trained library workers dedicated to the needs of their communities. This is the right of every local resident, as stipulated under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museum Act.

The proposals on offer from the council will result in an impoverished and degraded, post code lottery of a service across the borough. For this reason, we cannot accept Ealing Council’s Libraries Strategy for 2019-2023.

Save Ealing Libraries Campaign, July 2019