In a move that is being seen as a personal pledge by District Councillor Dianne Dear (who is also the publisher of Bay Life), a communication has been sent to councillors across Wealden Council—Bay Life, 15 October 2017
Councillor Dianne Dear (who is also publisher of Bay Life) has communicated a personal pledge to help save Pevensey Bay Library, as part of the campaign here, which she hopes to see shared by her fellow councillors.
In the communication she asks all Wealden councillors directly how they feel about the proposal to close 7 libraries and also what they feel they can do to save the libraries.
The communication is marked by a personal approach that is being seen as a public entry into the debate about the closure of Pevensey Bay Library.
Simon Montgomery, editor of Bay Life, who says he refuses anything other than an independent view of Wealden Council as an editorial policy for the Journal newspaper here or the Bay Life platform, commented about the communication this morning (15 October).
He said. “I have seen the communication, the entry of District Councillor Dianne Dear into the public debate about the future of Pevensey Bay Library marks a key point in the campaign to save the library.
“The campaign is not just working, the campaign, in my view, is clearly beginning to gain weight, strength and authority.
“It is beginning to look like, not only that the library will be saved, but that we may be seeing the framework of a plan emerging that will see a library fit for the 21st century in Pevensey Bay.
“There appears to be a great deal happening behind the scenes, from the Parliamentary level, to County, District and Parish level, and some of these plans, whilst only illustrative sketches and spreadsheet projections, are nonetheless, examples of the work that is being done. The plans are starting to take shape in some way”.
“It is fascinating to hear some of the conversations between individual County Councillors and members of the Friends of the Library here, for example”,
“The Friends of the Pevensey Bay Library group is a mighty powerful, in context force to be reckoned with of some description, in my opinion.
“There are some very interesting voices in the Friends of Pevensey Bay Library group, and they are all singing to the same songsheet, with purpose, experience and skill.
“What Councillor Dear has done with this communication, which is in the right spirit at the right time, with her characteristic measured tone, thought and intuitive deliberately understated passion for the community values here, is to have entered into the debate at exactly the right moment.
“She has a carefully balanced sense of her role in the community and my view is that in relation to the campaign to save Pevensey Bay Library, she will most likely now become one of the pivotal figures in the campaign that is so critical to Pevensey Bay.
“By communicating her sense of purpose in such a direct and personal way to all her fellow councillors, we may well be seeing not just the engagement of individual Wealden Councillors in some of the campaigning questions.
“I now see that it may well be in the case of Wealden Council that they take a pro-active role in questions that are being posed in relation to the closure of the libraries..
“County Councillor Chris Dowling at East Sussex County Council, in my view, is also a source of inspiration as well, and has been since the day that Pevensey Bay library flooded on 7 January 2015.
“Support is coming from all levels. Here we see a district councillor making both a personal pledge and co-ordinated effort to work within Wealden Council over the issue of the closure of the libraries.”
Simon pointed to what was said at the Wealden Parish Conference in 2011 that heralded the birth of the Localism Act.
Councillor Bob Standley, Leader of Wealden District Council said, “the Localism Bill gives Wealden District Council an opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with the town and parish councils in the District. I have always taken the view that the public are not that concerned whether it is the District Council, County Council or Towns and Parishes who deliver a service. They want the service to be delivered in the most efficient way possible. The Localism Bill creates the opportunity for some fresh thinking on issues across the District”.
Simon suggested, “the words of Bob Standley, Leader of Wealden District Council are looking increasingly prescient.
“It is interesting to see the communication from Dianne Dear to her fellow councillors about the closure of the libraries at this stage, particularly of course in relation to the proposed closure of Pevensey Bay Library.
“Of course it is in the context of what Bob Standley said in 2011, and the radical changes that the Localism Act of 2011 represents, that the challenges faced now by us as a community are being faced.”
“What most resonated about what Councillor Bob Standley, Leader of Wealden District Council said in 2011 is a simple statement about opportunity.
“The Localism Bill creates the opportunity for some fresh thinking on issues across the District”.
