Residents and councillors sat together today, Thursday 5th January, ahead of new proposals for the counties libraries. Both sides said they hoped for a win/win solution which would be positive for Matson and realistic for Gloucestershire County Council.
The new proposals will replace the "Meeting the Challenge" document, drafted by Cllr Antonia Noble but rejected by residents and by a High Court Judge as unlawful, draconian, and unfair on the most vulnerable in society. Mark Parker, who has been involved in the project from the beginning said he was keen to learn from the past but look to the future.
Keith Hebden, curate at St Katharine's Church, Matson and Liam Kelch, Chair of The Matson and Robinswood Neighbourhood Project arranged to meet with Jo Grills, the new head of library services, with Mark Parker, who steers the Big Community Offer, also taking part.
Mark and Jo welcomed the "positive approach" and that residents are willing to tell them "what they think the priorities are." Liam Kelcher stressed the stressed the need for a library service that was accessible to people from the areas around Matson, including Abbeydale and Abbeymead. Keith Hebden said that he believed a "win/win solution goes beyond compromise to a solution from which both parties come out better off than they were before."
Jo Grills, who has only recently taken up her new post will be visiting Matson next week to see Matson Library for herself and to meet other community groups ahead of the formal consultation in February.
Rough Timetable
Proposed Plan for Gloucestershire Libraries c. 13th January
County Council Cabinet vote on proposals 20th January
Six Week Consultation* c. 1st February
When the proposals are published ahead of the Council meeting I will post a summary here and a link to the councils e-copy of the document. We will also make sure hard copies will be available for scrutiny around Matson and Robinswood and invite groups in Abbeydale to do the same.
*I'm still not sure what they mean by consultation
The new proposals will replace the "Meeting the Challenge" document, drafted by Cllr Antonia Noble but rejected by residents and by a High Court Judge as unlawful, draconian, and unfair on the most vulnerable in society. Mark Parker, who has been involved in the project from the beginning said he was keen to learn from the past but look to the future.
Keith Hebden, curate at St Katharine's Church, Matson and Liam Kelch, Chair of The Matson and Robinswood Neighbourhood Project arranged to meet with Jo Grills, the new head of library services, with Mark Parker, who steers the Big Community Offer, also taking part.
Mark and Jo welcomed the "positive approach" and that residents are willing to tell them "what they think the priorities are." Liam Kelcher stressed the stressed the need for a library service that was accessible to people from the areas around Matson, including Abbeydale and Abbeymead. Keith Hebden said that he believed a "win/win solution goes beyond compromise to a solution from which both parties come out better off than they were before."
Jo Grills, who has only recently taken up her new post will be visiting Matson next week to see Matson Library for herself and to meet other community groups ahead of the formal consultation in February.
Rough Timetable
Proposed Plan for Gloucestershire Libraries c. 13th January
County Council Cabinet vote on proposals 20th January
Six Week Consultation* c. 1st February
When the proposals are published ahead of the Council meeting I will post a summary here and a link to the councils e-copy of the document. We will also make sure hard copies will be available for scrutiny around Matson and Robinswood and invite groups in Abbeydale to do the same.
*I'm still not sure what they mean by consultation
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