Wirral libraries: Government to publish its findings on Monday (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral libraries: Government to publish its findings on Monday

2:23pm Friday 27th November 2009

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THE GOVERNMENT'S view on how Wirral Council handled its now scrapped library closure plan is to be announced on Monday.

The council had planned to close 11 of Wirral's 24 libraries as part of its highly controversial strategic asset review.

But the plan proved so contentious that the Government stepped in at the eleventh hour to order an inquiry into how the process had been gone about - and halted the closures.

The council's press office was informed on September 28 this year that a decision regarding the council's actions was to be made by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on October 1.

The following evening, September 29, a midnight meeting of cabinet members, advised by senior council officers, took place at Wallasey Town Hall.

Then, on September 30 - 24 hours before the Government decision was to be published - the Lib-Lab cabinet announced it was scrapping its library closure programme.

They insist that the decision was nothing to do with the contents of the inquiry report - although several senior members of the cabinet along with senior council officers had been in possession of it for a month.

Today, the council's director of law Bill Norman wrote in an email to all elected members: "Dear Councillors, I have been informed by DCMS that the Secretary of State’s Decision on the Libraries Inquiry has been made and it is expected there will be a formal announcement of that Decision on Monday 30 November.

I will forward details of that announcement as soon as possible on Monday.

Regards Bill"

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