Monday 6 September 2010

Councillor Robert Rams - Barnets biggest twat

Today I actually feel a bit sorry for Lynne Hillan. I cannot imagine how truly awful it must be to be beholden to such complete idiots as seem to comprise her cabinet. Has she insisted that all Tory Councillors are psychometrically tested and only those with IQ's lower than a nemotode worm are offered cabinet posts? I can think of no other earthly reason why she's made Councillor Robert Rams a member of her cabinet. You really couldn't make up his latest escapade. On the day before the vote for the leadership, this man who is an integral part of Lynne Hillans team gave an interview to the local press. You may recall that the reason for the Leadership challenge was that the cabinet had shown themselves to be totally out of touch with the man in the street in Barnet.

So what did Robert Rams have to say. He decided to give us his views on the "transformation of the library service". He said the following (in this interview   http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8374350._Nothing_ruled_out__says_library_review_supremo/ ) :-
Maybe people could order books online and pick them up at their local supermarket. These are things to look at in the future.
Let me explain to Mr Rams how a library works. People go along, they browse, they pick up a book and have a look at it. They may borrow it, they may not. Many young people (victims of the rabbit hutch housing policy in Barnet) visit libraries to work in a peaceful and quiet environment, with a stack of reference books to hand. Children go to the library, find books they like the look of and learn to read using them. Many elderly people (a reasonable proportion of who are sensible Conservative voters) like to visit the library to read papers, borrow large print books (if they have issues reading) and meet friends. Councillors hold serguries for residents at libraries.  Local organisations leave information about events.

Mill Hill library is a special place for me. Until the very last weeks of her life, my mother would visit it every Thursday and select large print books. She was 83 and didn't have (or want) a computer. She didn't want to have to get a bus to a supermarket to borrow a book. She liked to read a page or two of a book before she selected it.

Sadly Councillor Robert Rams seems to understand none of this. It would be interesting to see what sort of books he reads (although from what I've seen of him I suspect I really wouldn't). The man is a philistine who seems to think everyone else in Barnet is as ignorant as he is.

It says much about Lynne Hillan that she could appoint the biggest twat in Barnet to be the man responsible for "transforming" the Library service.

Footnote :  You may think that I am being rather strong in this blog. I know for a fact how the elderly in Barnet love the library service and I feel that Rams policy is discriminatory (many elderly are not IT literate) and will cause deep anguish. If my mother had still been alive, she'd have been distraught at this policy. Like her boss Lynne Hillan, Robert Rams is completely without compassion. I suspect Lynne approves.

2 comments:

Broadway Blogger said...

Mill Hill Library is an oasis of calm and friendliness. The staff are excellent and there are fantastic facilities. They even have PCs ( plenty of them ). Most days the library is very busy obviously meeting the needs of the locals. Libraries are important local meeting places which must be protected. You dont have to pay to go to a library either which makes them accessible for all ages and sizes of wallet.

baarnett said...

Broadway Blogger's comments are at the heart of why libraries need protection from ignorant politicians.

The actual contents can change and be modernised, but they are a free community benefit to absolutely everyone. They are the only place available, where residents can go, and perhaps meet, without having to spend money.