Suffolk Libraries Petitions with over 13 000 signatures to be handed in

Dan Poulter MP signing the petition

On Wednesday 27th April at 1100 representatives from library campaigns across Suffolk will hand over petitions with more than 13 000 signatures calling on the County Council to continue to keep open and fund all 44 Suffolk Libraries.

The vast majority of the petitions have identical wording:

We the undersigned agree that Suffolk County Council have a duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service and believe that all 44 Suffolk libraries should be kept open and continue to be funded by and remain the responsibility of Suffolk County Council.

Cllr Sandy Martin, Labour Group Leader and Cllr  Kathy Pollard, Lib Dem Group Leader are confirmed and we very much hope the new leader-elect of the Conservative Group Cllr Mark Bee will attend and the three leaders can receive the petitions. People from the Keeper's Daughter theatre group have agreed to be present at the event.

If you would like to attend please meet 1045 at Endeavour House on Wed 27th April

If you still have't signed a petition you can still do so online (if you live, work or study in Suffolk) please click here to sign

Library Consultation nears its end....

Suffolk County Council's library consultation is nearly at its end but there is a lot still happening!

If you wish to respond to the consultation you have under 30 April to so so. You can reply at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/librariesconsultation2011

NOTE: You only need answer Q7 if you just want to comment about the future of library services, Suffolk County Council have accepted not all the questions may be relevant to individuals.

You can see Suffolk's consultation documentation online and read 10 Reasons I think the consultation is flawed.

Petition Handover at Endeavour House - Wed 27th April at 1100

Petitions including the large "Save Suffolk Libraries" petition will be handed over to Suffolk County Council at 1100 on Wed 27th April. More information soon about the arrangements for this.

Bungay Library Scrapbook Handover - Sat 30th April 1030 at Bungay Library

Mark Bee, leader elect of Suffolk County Council, is to visit Bungay Library. He will be at the library on Saturday 30th April at 10.30am to receive the Save Bungay Library campaign's “What Bungay Library means to me” scrapbook, on behalf of the County Council. Waveney MP Peter Aldous will also attend.

The scrapbook has been created by the Save Bungay Library campaign from written notes, photographs and quotes collected from all those attending various events held over the last few months. The scrapbook forms a powerful document showing what a vital resource the library is to Bungay and the significant role it plays in the lives local residents.

All those who have attended previous events, and contributed to the scrapbook, are invited to attend, together with anyone who uses or supports Bungay Library. Campaign co-ordinator Sylvia Knights said:

Mark Bee has already expressed his desire to really listen to the people of Suffolk and this is a marvellous opportunity for anyone who cares about the future of the library to come and make their views known to those in local and central government.

Framlingham Town Council Public Meeting - Fri 20 May at 1900

Framlingham Town Council has put forward to Suffolk County Council an expression of interest to take over the library in Framlingham. There will be a Public Meeting on Friday 20th May at 7pm in the Main Hall of Sir Robert Hitcham’s Primary School, to hear their plans and discuss how people can work together to help keep this valuable asset and service in the town. All are welcome.

Consultation Timetable 

Suffolk County Council have provided the timetable below:

May and June - analysis of consultation responses and consideration of options for Cabinet; 

July – Outcomes and recommendations to Cabinet; 

September and October - further consultation; 

November - consideration of responses; 

December - Final report to Cabinet; 

January to March 2012 - implementation of December decisions.

It is interesting that there is to be a further consultation in the autumn and also that they appear to have "missed out" any consideration by full Council....

All change at Endeavour House? Mark Bee elected Leader of Suffolk CC

Mark Bee
Leader of Suffolk CC

I am not going to claim that "it's my blog what won it" but having called this morning for Mark Bee to be elected as Leader of Suffolk County Council he has won the election. So will this be the change the people of Suffolk are wanting and that the Suffolk Tories presumably feel will help save them from defeat in the 2013 elections? That remains to be seen but the EADT this morning suggested that if Mark won we might never see the words "new" "strategic" and "direction" together in the same sentence. I hope so.

Suffolk never asked to be an experiment in ideological political ideas be they from the left or the right. We just want the County Council to get on with running services the best they can, accepting that there need to be savings made. We don't want the county we love turned into a laughing stock nationally, a byword for wasteful and overpaid local governement with the Chief Executive literally all over the national papers.

Endeavour House

At times I have maybe said that Suffolk is a bit too sleepy and behind the times. Can we go back a bit more to those days Mark? I don't want to be part of an experiment or to spend half my weekends on marches and fighting the County Council. I hope there will be a change in direction now and that you ban the word "strategic" from Endeavour House.

Good luck Mark. I hope you will lead Suffolk County Council to something we can all be proud of whatever our politics!

Mark Bee for Suffolk County Council Leader

Mark Bee outside Oulton Broad Library

Today 54 Tory members of Suffolk County Council make a crucial decision on behalf of the other 750 000 or so residents of Suffolk when they choose a new leader for the Council following the "retirement" of Jeremy Pembroke.

Ironically they are apparently using the exhaustive ballot system to choose the leader (bit like, erm Alternative Vote) but we will brush over that and look at the three candidates.

Colin Noble, cabinet member for Adult and Community Services is the "heir apparent" and has been leading many meetings about the new strategic direction. He, like Andrew Lansley on the NHS, thinks the problem is presentation but that the new strategic direction is basically the right idea. Like Lansley he is wrong. Well half wrong as the presentation admittedly has been as bad as the underlying idea.

Guy McGregor is Transport and Planning Cabinet member and now, apparently, feels the County Council should be listening more to the people of Suffolk and not trying to impress Government ministers. He has kept this view very quiet over the last few months and seemed happy to support the closure of libraries, refuse tips and withdraw the eXplore card from teenagers.

Mark Bee is Scrutiny Committee Chairman but not on the Cabinet. He is, however, leader of Waverney District Council. He is the "outsider" and seems to offer the most hope of a new direction and I do NOT mean a new strategic direction! On Saturday when I met him outside Oulton Broad Library he promised to "work from the inside" to help save libraries. Not heard that from Noble or McGregor. He seemed quite impressive as he "rescued" Peter Aldous MP who appeared unsure and weak compared to Bee who was confident and assured.

I don't get a vote in this decision but if I did I would be casting it for Mark Bee. We should hear at lunchtime who has won....watch this space!!