Councillors brought to book in Selkirk library controversy
Following the article published in the December 16 issue of The Wee Paper, entitled “Councillors defend decision to back Selkirk library merger”, it would be reassuring to think that elected members of Scottish Borders Council also checked their facts before they started to complain about other people.
1. The December 6 meeting in the library with Ian Brown, head of cultural services, was organised by members of the library. We wanted to know what was happening as we were getting mixed or vague messages from councillors.
2. The great majority of people who attended the meeting are members of the library. The meeting was arranged at very short notice following an email from Ian Brown.
3. Gordon Edgar did send his apologies for missing the community council meeting – a very reasonable position considering that his mother-in-law had passed away just that morning.
Selkirk library members and users were interested in what was happening with all the proposed integrations of libraries and contact centres, and how it will affect us in Selkirk.
We needed information, clarity and the opportunity to discuss the proposals and who better to answer the questions but Ian Brown. He gave us a briefing on what was planned, and why, and answered questions.
Sue Cook
Sentry Knowe
I refer to your article re the future of Selkirk library.
I would like to point out that Gordon Edgar did not organise the meeting of Friends of Selkirk Library, as reported in your newspaper, but was in fact told of it by a Friends of Selkirk Library user and which I overhead at Scott’s Selkirk.
Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre suggests that it would be easier to park near the current contact centre. Where may I ask?
Parking at Sainsbury’s and the Eildon and Bield housing developments are all private and the High Street is cluttered with cars most of the time. At least there is an official car park close to the current library and plenty of space in Ettrick Terrace, except for court days.
I thought that all local councillors would have been supportive of the status quo and back the amenities in their own constituency. Are they really worth voting for?
For example, would Galashiels councillors vote to close their library if it was under threat?
Frances Innes
(library member)
Yarrow Terrace
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.