News

Council defends bid to privatise library services

By Victoria Smith
February 23, 2012

The borough’s libraries will be cheaper, fit for the 21st Century and offer more services to attract new visitors, it is claimed, under plans to privatise the service.

Wokingham Borough Council is to approve high-level specifications for interested companies to fulfil in order to run the borough’s library service.

The council’s executive committee will meet today to discuss the specifications, which are being kept secret due to EU procurement law, and the top three primary objectives of the tender process.

These are achieving greater value for money in the service, which costs the council more than £2 million a year, transforming libraries to provide a more appropriate service for the 21st Century, and broadening the functionality and appeal of libraries.

The council agreed to investigate privatising its libraries in May 2010, with the expectation of appointing a partner in March this year, however the project has been delayed and is now expected to be operational by October.

Plans to outsource the service caused controversy among residents concerned it will mean that libraries will close.

Although the council is putting conditions in place, such as engagement with library users when making decisions, there is no specific condition to keep all libraries open.

The council says the winning provider will allow library users and communities to have input into policy and services, and provide libraries offering people better opportunities and improved quality of life.

Councillor UllaKarin Clark, executive member for internal services, said: “I am excited at the prospect of this process moving on and hope the executive agrees the high level specifications.

“Our aim is to find a partner who can help improve our already excellent libraries. Libraries across the country face challenging times; with cheaper books, greater internet usage, increasing availability of electronic books and – let’s face facts – less public money around. What we are saying is that we do not want our libraries to fall victim to these challenges but, instead, hope to find the right partner to help them thrive.”

The Wokingham Liberal Democrats produced a petition with hundreds of signatures last year against the decision to outsource libraries.

The Conservatives have said the campaign led to an inaccurate picture being presented to the public.

Cllr Clark said: “I am delighted that the draft specifications to be considered by the executive would be requiring any selected partner to work with library users and local communities in the future.

“The technicalities of EU procurement law are complicated and restrictive in terms of what we can say – and that is frustrating because it has allowed misconceptions to spread and scaremongering to take place. The truth is that we are seeking a partner to improve our libraries and safeguard the service for the future.”

Cllr Prue Bray, leader of Wokingham Lib Dems, said the accusations of scaremongering was an “insult” to the people unhappy with the idea of handing over running of the library service to a private company.

She said: “The Conservatives can’t blame EU rules for imposing secrecy on them – because those rules only applied after they made the decision to outsource the service.

“Given the importance of this issue to the community as a whole, the council should be listening to people and be open about what is going on.”

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"The vast majority of councils moved away from employing their own direct labour force many, many years ago." - and the effect of this, certainly in the council's own Tenant Services department, is abysmal.

Try again, Councillor.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
29/02/2012 at 17:13

Well I have no political connections and I certainly feel that the council is treating me as an idiot.

Andy Shaw
24/02/2012 at 09:15

Nice to see so many current Councillors and candidates so active on this. Councillors who have posted here are fully aware of the severe restrictions there are in the hated OJEU process. I deliberately call it hated as in my mind it stops us doing a lot of the things the posters here want to do. In my Higheways capacity I have told my officers to do everything in their power to avoid OJEU process but there are defined rules enshrined in UK law that dictates what has to go down this route.

Someone asked about examples of outsourcing actually working. Let me give you one (I can give you more but I do not want to bore you). Direct Works. The vast majority of councils moved away from employing their own direct labour force many, many years ago. Our contractor has the benefit of much better buying capabilities because they act on behalf of many councils as just one example.

Matthew mentioned how a private company can operate like this. It is quite simple they negotiate a contract to provide the services which we want and the quality we want. They do the financial analysis and work out a contract price which is what they put into the tender. Clearly they will have worked out a profit element in that calculation.

Unfortunately Matthew, and having met you you are a reasonable person and I understand as a Labour candidate why you need to say the things you do. But they simply do not stack up. You ask for a rep to come on here to explain things. Well I have been doing that for about 6 months and you will find my postings on this all over the place. You mention phrases like glittering utopia and calling residents idiots. No-one has ever said either of these things or even imply it but I understand why you have to make these unfounded claims because as a candidate you have to do whatever you can to try and get votes.

Cllr Keith Baker
23/02/2012 at 18:14

please see http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.com/2011/09/privatisation-of-public-library.html for my own take on the privatisation of public libraries!

Alan Wylie
23/02/2012 at 15:36

The Library is just one of many areas that WBC try to keep opposition members and residents in the dark. Town Centre regeneration, adult social care... its all going into limited companies owned 100% by WBC, that do not have the same "openess" requirements as the council and if anyone has tried to read the budget papers that were only made public a few days ago then they would realise how secretive the council is being.

As far as libraries, which in some areas have a community value beyond books, the Localism and other recent Bills maybe interesting. I believe that communities can insist on getting a valuation on assets of community value and there is also now a "community right to buy". So for instance if there was ever a proposal to close/sell the Wargrave library the wealthy burgers of Wargrave could club to gether to buy it of the council.

Phil Challis, woodley
23/02/2012 at 12:18

The title of this article is "Council defends bid to privatise library services" we have had Tory cllr's for the last year saying that they are not privatising the library by making mundane semantic arguments rather than dealing with the issue in hand – i.e. they were privatising the libraries and they were doing it without asking / telling the residents of Wokingham. Deliberate misdirection and undemocratic action – this is how this has been handled. The people of Wokingham deserve better than this.

Cllr. Tahir Maher, Earley
23/02/2012 at 12:01

If I obtain the loan of a book from a commercial organisation, am I entering into a credit agreement? What (if any) impact might this have on one with a poor credit history?

Ivor Biggun, winnersh
23/02/2012 at 11:56

As the article says (and, indeed, as the ONLY bit of new information the article says) the executive are "debating" it tonight. I wonder if it would make them think for a moment if we all watched them at it from the public gallery.

Matthew S. Dent, Wargrave
23/02/2012 at 11:05

When business is being offered out to tender, you have to keep certain things secret - for example, how much money each company would pay to buy the libraries, and what level of service they would provide - in order to maintain fair competition. However, the overall plan and strategy COULD be made public. I would suggest it hasn't been because it would affirm our fears that the libraries - like the trains, electricity, water, and everything else that makes a few shareholders millionaires but costs the country billions each year - are being sold off to make a quick quid.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
23/02/2012 at 10:57

It seems odd that the EUSSR instructs councils to keep secret anything from the people that councils are supposed to represent and the very people that provide the funds to pay for their activities.

It is worrying that we are expected to take anything any politician says on trust, given the politicians' past records for semantics and half truths.

I suspect that some sites will have to close for purely economic reasons and some services will have to be charged for and perhaps some other type of commercial activity, such as a cafe or shop, will have to be brought in to help the private provider make it worth their while. I doubt that increasing fines as one poster suggests could raise enough to cover any financial shortfall.

It does appear to me that, all too often this type of exercise is a race to the bottom. I assume that because this scheme is going to save a fortune according to our respected and trusted councillors, then this time next year, WBC will announce a cut in council tax......No? I thought not!

Tonk, Wokingham
23/02/2012 at 10:41

The voters of Wokingham are upset about the plans for the libraries and the Council thinks insults are the same as debates The voters should remember this in May during the elections.

Perhaps the reasons for this fear of real debate is that their ideas and plans would not stand up to proper scrutiny ? If it is such a wonderful and worthwhile idea they should be able to show why, not just ideologically claim it. Remember how much privatisation of the libraries and the utilities have cost the public. Also How are the contributions of the libraries to other core council services going to be replaced?

Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey Winnersh

devoncatt
23/02/2012 at 10:35

Hats, I'd settle for a rep/member/whatever of WBC to come on here and actually present an argument for doing it. There's been NOTHING so far, other than vague, groundless claims that it will save lots of money. Whenever you ask how, you either get no reply, or are insulted.

Matthew S. Dent, Wargrave
23/02/2012 at 10:33

In fact, it would be good for a rep from WBC to come on here and give us an example of where privatization has led to a cheaper, better service, since they are so confident that this will be the case here.

I dare you.

In fact, I double dare you.

HatsOfDoom
23/02/2012 at 10:15

Matthew, Hats - I agree with you 100%, and thankyou for typing these messages and saving me the time!

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
23/02/2012 at 09:59

Exactly, HatsOfDoom. I can choose to pay a fortune for an inferior, uncomfortable, overcrowded and often late rail service. Or I can choose to walk.

Sounds like just the sort of thing we should be looking to do to our libraries...