And again...
This now from Cllr Grimston (presumably in response to Cllr Govindia)
"Dear friend,
The expected backlash is now under way with claims from some members of the Council ruling group attacking my honesty and saying there are ‘no plans’ for closure of the library and implying that I’m doing this for my own electoral reasons (though why I would leave the Conservatives after 20 years if all I wanted was the prospect of reelection is unclear to me).
These are the facts.
On June 23 the Conservative Group received a programme of work for the next year. In it was a clear statement that in the November/December/January cycle there would be an item: “consideration of closure of non-town centre libraries”. (Obviously I have the paper in question.) In effect, when the contract with the social enterprise that now provides library services comes up for renewal, not funding the out-of-town centre libraries is one possible option (among others). Those plans are being worked up now, alongside others.
I have since received confirmation from both the Leader and the Cabinet member that this is happening. The Leader has also said that no decision has been taken and I believe this to be the case – I have certainly stressed this in all my communications on the matter.
My point is a simple one. Not that a decision to close has been taken – I have spent all day telling people this is scaremongering by some of the political opportunists around the place. (It would have been very easy for me to overegg this pudding but I have been very careful not to.) But if there is no possibility whatsoever of the libraries closing then why is the option being worked up? I had started to feel happier after what I had been told but then saw the Council was saying there were ‘no plans’ for closure and that set the alarm bells ringing once again. This phrase is the traditional ‘non-denial denial’, perhaps made most famous by Tony Blair when before the 1997 election he had this exchange: "Will Labour introduce tuition fees for higher education?" to which he answered "Labour has no plans to introduce tuition fees for higher education." “No plans” does not mean “no tuition fees”. There are plenty more examples on the web.
The solution is quite easy – if the Leader or the Cabinet are prepared to say: that no such note went to the Conservative Group on June 23; that officers have not even been asked to consider the closure of the out-of-town centre libraries; that there is a cast-iron guarantee that the libraries like Southfields will be open at the time of the next election; and that officers are not to do any work on that option in the meantime; then I will be delighted and quite happy to take the personal flac that is the stock in trade of those responsible for the Nasty Party epithet.
I felt it right that if the Cabinet should proceed with closure they should know how the community felt, rather than wait until the decision had been taken (and of course it might have gone the ‘right’ way) and run the risk of having to attack a fait accompli. I chose the former, knowing there was a risk of causing some concerns that may have been unnecessary. I do not have the benefit of perfect foresight. But to call it a ‘planned closure’, which I have never done (indeed in all my statements I have said it is all at an ‘early stage’), and then attack me for something which I never said smacks of desperation.
I repeat this will all go away with a cast-iron guarantee that there has never been any consideration of closure of out-of-town centre libraries - I do not believe the Conservative Cabinet can offer this because they are well aware that there is documentary evidence showing the opposite to be true - and that they will be open in 2018. ‘No plans’ is no guarantee.
Best wishes,
Malcolm"