Fife libraries must adapt for the future

Sir, - I write in response to Bob Taylor’s letter (August 15) in which he challenged me to say whether I supported Heather Stuart’s approach to Fife library closures.

I am surprised at Bob’s personalisation of this issue. It is not the approach that we normally see or expect from him.

Heather Stuart, as chief executive of Fife Cultural Trust obviously bears some responsibility but no more than her board and they together no more than the councillors on Fife Council, myself included.

Before taking a position either for or against the current closure proposals because that is what they are at the moment, it is worth giving the facts around this issue some consideration.

The cultural trust has a great big budget hole, some £800,000. Not one councillor or party, at the most recent budget-setting meeting proposed to give the trust the £800,000 they need to fill that hole.

The chair and officials of the trust gave a detailed report which included a breakdown of usage at an executive meeting of Fife Council.

Their plans as to how the library service should develop in the future were equally impressive and compelling.

I saw their approach to an antiquated and out-ofdate library and related services as innovative and resulting in better, if different provision, than we have.

When I asked the trust’s representatives if they were given an additional £800,000 would they continue with the current service arrangements, they were emphatic in answering no.

Change is difficult and because of political posturing and opportunism, change in the public sector is even more difficult.

Is Bob really saying that we should continue to do the same things in the same ways because, well, because we’ve always done them that way?

Some of the facilities under consideration for closure are very poorly used and others are both poorly used and not in the best of condition.

I would urge everyone to attend the public consultation meetings, listen to the facts and make their views known.

But bear in mind, if you want these libraries to remain open, it will require £800,000 to be found from another Fife Council budget. Councillor Bryan Poole. Fife Council Education Portfolio Holder.

Councillor Poole