COUNCIL MEETING ABANDONED AS DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE OFFICERS ARRIVE TO PROBE LIBRARY PROVISION “Council has everything to gain from fresh look at gym plans”
Officers from the Department of Culture visited Lambeth on Wednesday to look at the controversial ‘libraries into gyms’ proposals – as that night’s council meeting was abandoned amid stormy scenes – followed by claims and counter-claims of bad behaviour on social media.
“Abandoning the meeting is the last thing we wanted” said Laura Swaffield of Friends of Lambeth Libraries.
“But there’s still time to stop the craziest waste of all- £3m capital and £1m revenue on two gyms nobody wants.”
FOLL, asking for a deputation to address the council meeting, had told Lambeth that the situation has changed a lot since November and that the libraries are more of a live issue than ever.
“Government inspectors from the DCMS are visiting tomorrow to examine the whole plan, and are expected to raise a great many questions.
“A number of Member Enquiries (by councillors) and FoI (Freedom of Information) requests are yet to be answered. “A judicial review is in the offing. “The officer responsible for the plan has retired. “We now have a new cabinet portfolio holder for libraries.
“The council has everything to gain from a fresh look. “That’s what we want to say.”
deputation.”The issues that you are raising surrounding the future of the Library service have been debated, and questions have been raised, on a number of occasions at Council meetings within the past six months.
“In addition a similar deputation was considered at the November council meeting.
“In all the circumstances I do not consider that circumstances have changed sufficiently to justify receiving a further deputation at the council meeting.”
