The Tameside 'Vision': A Library fit for the 21st Century!

Buckets collecting rainwater at Ashton Library

Have you noticed how British managers have suddenly become 'passionate' about everything they do - it's the latest buzzword. Incompetent hospital bosses are passionate about the hospitals they run and politicians and ministers are always so passionate, the word has become a standard bromide in professional circles and seems to mean almost nothing.

The Labour controlled council in Tameside, Greater Manchester, have recently conducted yet another consultation exercise aimed at reorganising its library services. In their questionnaire the council say - "We are very passionate about the much valued library service within our communities." and talk about a 'vision' of a library service fit for the 21st century.

How passionate Tameside Council are about their library service is a moot point. For the last two-years, the roof at the central library in Ashton-under-Lyne has been leaking in and nothing appears to have been done about that. Last week, there was panic in the computer room (not for the first time), when the heavens opened up and there was a torrential downpour which came in through the library roof. Staff hastily ran for buckets to collect rain water and sought to unplug computers in order to avoid electrocuting library users as the rain cascaded down the wall. 

Five years ago, Tameside Council outsourced its 'Facilities and Estate Management' to the global construction giant 'Carillion'. However, we have been informed that Carillion say that they cannot repair the library roof because they don't have a pair of ladders big enough to get up on the roof! Is this the same "major global infrastructure partner' which the Labour council in Tameside, speak so highly of? If it is, then two-years seems an awfully long time to wait for them to get a pair of ladders in order to repair a roof. So much for privatization!