Outside Oulton Broad Library with Peter Aldous MP and Cllr Mark Bee

Today Peter Aldous MP for Waveney held his regular constituency surgery at Oulton Broad Library in Lowestoft. As usual lots of constituents came along but also a number of campaigners from Lowestoft Coalition Against the Cuts. They have been waiting to speak to Mr Aldous after he cancelled a planned public meeting about the cuts but Aldous said that "the time for public debate is now over". Reneging on commitments seems to be something of a habit for Peter Aldous as he had also promised to present  a scrapbook to Suffolk County Council made by people attending the library events at Bungay but apparently "no longer feels able to".

Peter Aldous looked very unsure as he was asked to sign the petition to Save Oulton Broad Library and other libraries in Suffolk, eventually refusing but saying he was "supportive" and that he had spoken to Suffolk County Council who he described as being in "a little bit of a state of flux". After an interesting discussion with several members of the public Cllr Mark Bee, leader of Waverney District Council felt the need to come to Peter's rescue - literally - as he moved through the crowd to guide Peter Aldous to freedom in the library. Mark Bee also refused to sign the petition but promised to work "from the inside" to save libraries. I wonder if this now a part of his campaign to be elected Leader of Suffolk County Council!?

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.