Former libraries chief appointed as business lead in reshuffle

A FORMER libraries chief who led the consultation over possible library closures has returned to the authority’s top team in a fresh reshuffle.

Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa has been appointed as business and community services lead, re-joining the cabinet after his parks and libraries role in the 2010 administration.

Council leader Julian Bell has made some changes to his influential decision-making body following the resignation of housing boss Cllr Peter Mason in October. The new appointments, however, have been criticised by the opposition Conservative group as offering “no new blood or ideas”, despite a number of “talented new members” within the Labour group.

Leader of the group Cllr Greg Stafford added: “The appointment of Cllr Dhindsa is especially worrying given when he was previously a cabinet member in 2011 he tried to close our libraries and unleashed the full wrath of our residents.”

The council’s decision to look at possible changes to the library services in the borough came when central government slashed local authority budgets across the UK.

During the consultation, Cllr Dhindsa said he met with many local people passionate about their libraries, adding: “I am also committed to our libraries and I want to provide a quality service for residents across the borough.”

Following the move, the borough’s 13 libraries continue to run. Five of the libraries were transferred to community management this year.

Former business and community services cabinet member Cllr Jasbir Anand will also continue to serve on the team.

She will take on the role of the newly-created environment and climate action lead, which replaces Cllr Mik Sabiers’ position as environment and highways boss.

Cllr Sabiers has now taken up the housing, planning and transformation portfolio.

It comes after calls for Cllr Sabiers and Cllr Bell to resign in September following their apology for not consulting with the London Ambulance Service early on in the process of traffic changes in the borough.

A vote of no confidence in Cllr Bell was also called within the Labour group, but the defeated bid led Cllr Mason to quit the cabinet.

Cllr Bell congratulated the members in their new roles in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday November 10.