tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215006984353817373.post6722681649221177681..comments2024-03-29T00:09:28.302+00:00Comments on 99% is ....... The Barnet Eye: Open Letter to Councillor Reuben Thompstone regarding volunteering at Barnet LibrariesRog Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139705078907584931noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215006984353817373.post-87609442984616297152015-10-16T10:19:30.366+01:002015-10-16T10:19:30.366+01:00Council tax is paid by the public precisely so tha...Council tax is paid by the public precisely so that councils can provide services to local people in an organised & economic fashion e.g. the library service. Volunteering is a good thing and should be a bonus resource to make libraries even better, not to take the place of properly trained staff. <br /><br />Richard Cornelius also wants volunteers to litter pick in parks and weed public flower beds, and this is probably just the start of his aspirations for council services to be provided by the people who have already paid for them in council tax. If the council hoover up large numbers of volunteers they will deprive charities of the same and may create a shortage in that worthwhile area.Mr Mustardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12522242686839965655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215006984353817373.post-49770682394673240672015-10-16T09:59:46.585+01:002015-10-16T09:59:46.585+01:00Well said. The attitude displayed at the meeting t...Well said. The attitude displayed at the meeting towards me and Barbara Jacobson,- two women, of course - and remarks about volunteering, after our reasoned and impassioned comments about the threats to our library service, I personally found utterly unacceptable.<br /><br />If you want to see the footage, it is over on my blog, Broken Barnet.<br /><br />I reminded Cllr Thompstone of former Tory councillor Leslie Sussman, a truly admirable example of service to the community - a long serving elected representative who refused to take ANY allowance for what he saw as his civic duty.<br /><br />We should also remember that not so long ago, Barnet's Tory councillors voted themselves a big, fat payrise ... including a whopping 54% rise in the pay for Chairs of Committees, whilst lecturing us, the taxpayers, about the need for austerity!Mrs Angryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586223909475832791noreply@blogger.com