No to Privatisation of Croydon's Libraries!

A petition has been launched at 38 DEGREES.

You can add your voice by signing and help by sharing this petition:
http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no-to-privatisation-of-croydon-s-libraries
and feel free to add your comments here.

We are calling on Croydon Council to halt the privatisation of Croydon's libraries.

A public consultation on these plans has never been held and the decision has been forced through behind closed doors without proper scrutiny or transparency.

When library closures were originally proposed just six libraries were under threat. The people of Croydon rallied together against the plans and more than twenty thousand people spoke out in support of our libraries through a public consultation.

Residents’ views were ignored and the Council forged ahead with plans to privatise, slashing the library service via back door cuts to prepare for this process.  The original divisive consultation made no mention of privatisation or outsourcing the library service. It only consulted on the closure of six rather than the whole network of 13 libraries.  The public have never been consulted on the outsourcing of our library service, which is due to go through imminently.

Serious concerns have been raised about the tendering process and the company which is due to run the libraries. Repeated requests for information have been refused.

We have to let Croydon Council know that they cannot and must not ignore the wishes of the residents that they serve.  If enough of us sign the petition we can force them to hold a debate on this issue so we can expose the truth and foster proper engagement and accountability: something sorely lacking in Croydon.

The Council claims no buildings have or will be closed BUT a library is so much more than just a building.

If we want our voice heard we must act NOW!


Can we take much more of this,

Row upon row of empty shelves
across the borough's libraries

this,

Staffing cuts, meaning some libraries couldn't even open due
to staff shortages or that staff are pushed to cope

this,

PCs, vital for residents to study,
for homework,
research,
to fill in online applications,
to seek employment,
to keep in touch
 laying idle for months, awaiting repair

or this?

Much loved purpose-built New Addington Library now closed.

And did we turn out in number, time and time again,

 only to be defeated at the final hurdle?