I RECENTLY attended a ‘consultative’ meeting chaired by the customer services manager for the Dorset Library service held at West Moors Library.

Mention was made by some of those attending concerning the relatively small amount (£800,000) of savings sought in the library budget when compared to the amount of reductions planned across the total budget. The County Council certainly seem prepared to spend an enormous amount in presenting and defending their proposals for such a small part of the reduction.

One wonders just how much the questionnaire and the ‘listening process’ has cost to date. These last two exercises alone must amount to a significant total. Could the reason for this defensive effort lie in the future?

The remaining 14 larger libraries, if the proposed closures proceed, could be seen as an attractive proposition for sale to a private organisation.

The profit potential being in the provision of information and ancillary services, not book lending. I do not expect a response from any county councillor as they seem to be extremely reluctant to face the scrutiny of those they claim to represent or provide answers to probing questions already presented these past few weeks.

EDDIE PROWSE, Farm Road, West Moors