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September 23, 2007
Scandal in the DCMS
In the past week we have discovered that
1. The new English culture minister for libraries was given seriously wrong information about the state of the service. The briefing mistake appears to have been deliberate.
2. On the basis of that wrong information she has been permitted by her officials to set completely the wrong set of priorities for improvement to the service
3. The MLA, which is the body created by the DCMS and supposed to be managed by them, has had to subject itself to an external "High Level Audit" of its main programme for improvement and upon which it has - over several years under the supervision of the DCMS- spent literally millions of pounds of taxpayers money.
It is time that very serious questions were asked about the conduct of senior civil servants and both political and policy advisers in this ministry and those to whom the management of quangoes is delegated.
The public library service is one of the largest national operations within the domain of the Department of Culture. While all these expenditures and distractions go on the standard answer to any question about why the public library service is disintegrating is "We can't do anything- it's all the responsibility of local councils" --
This is not like those ministries of which we hear which are 'not fit for purpose"; this is a ministry without a purpose.
This has all gone on for too many years. Do these officers believe they are above the law and the scrutiny of the people? They should be removed forthwith.
Let's start with some simple questions: 'Who permitted MLA to handout money to councils to persuade them to sign up to the programme 'Better Stock Better Libraries'? How much was involved ? What was the money intended for? If the programme is stopped will the money be returned? To whom?
It takes a wise and experienced person to spot that headlines like these are written with the intention that someone will have the courage and common sense to grasp, face and sort out the problems. Unless and until the leadership of the public library service handed out in the name of the Minister, if not by the Minister, is clear, correct, strong and purposeful-- and not irresponsible and childish, as it normally is, then the service will indeed continue to distentegrate as it has been.
Posted by Tim Coates at September 23, 2007 5:00 PM
Comments
Tim, I have just caught up with the Margaret Hodge figures letter. She is a disgrace to the human race, never mind the library world. There is little more to be said.
Posted by: Ron at September 24, 2007 4:29 PM
Dare I say: I be a humble library assistant, who has read a few books the local central library has happened to have on the subject of the history, purpose, significance of the public libraries.
If I can come up with a strong sense of purpose for our libraries, what is wrong that the echelons of leadership cannot do the same? It seems to me to be a question of statements of purpose in fact being statements of means.
Posted by: Gareth Osler at September 25, 2007 12:33 AM
As the leaves turn from green to brown (not Gordon), it must be party conference time. Brighton, Bournemouth and Blackpool this year. The local papers show smiling ministers visiting local schools and hospitals, parks and gardens, even churches, but libraries? No chance.
Regards,
Peter
Posted by: Peter K. at September 25, 2007 3:52 PM