Letter sent out to appeal for more help on 20 January 2012
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Save Yorkshire |
Making Music needs your help again!
Thank you so much to those who responded to our plea about the closure of the Yorkshire Libraries & Information (YLI) Music and Drama Service (MDS) in early November. YLI received well over 2,000 letters and emails protesting against the potential closure of the MDS in Wakefield. An incredible response indicating just how important this service is to the music groups of the UK.
This response has materially shifted politicians’ opinions of the importance of this service – it has made a real difference. But now we need your help again ...
When you've read our summary of the current state of play below, and please find a moment to send an email in your own words to the Leader of any or all of the participating Councils (see list with email addresses). Your email need not be long, but should urge them in strong terms to support the Service for another three years. If you wish to add further supporting material, the following facts might be helpful:
* The Service has long been available to individual borrowers, music groups and other public libraries across the whole of the UK. The Service is of national importance
* It is used by thousands of choirs and orchestras, providing an excellent and affordable service and making it possible for hundreds of thousands of people around the country to enjoy music in their community
* It offers a valuable resource to young musicians, students of music and those preparing for careers as professional musicians
* The closure of the Service would be undemocratic, an act of cultural vandalism, and would only save paltry sums of money, even in these difficult times
The next meeting of YLI is on 26 January 2012. As such we'd ask that you please write as soon as you possibly can.
Thank you so much for your continued help with this. Together we can save this incredibly valuable resource! For further information, visit the YLI campaign section on our website.
Best wishes,
Robin Osterley
Chief Executive
Current state of play:
* We know the current building in Wakefield must be closed for health and safety reasons
* YLI are now very keen to keep the MDS running, but need to find new premises
* Some of the 12 Councils funding the Service have expressed reluctance to do so again in the future, putting more pressure on the remaining councils
* The total sum being put in by the 12 Councils is a mere £120,000, distributed across the 12 in proportion to their population; even in these straitened times a very paltry sum
* By relocating the drama service to another local authority library, and by undertaking other cost-saving measures, we can make the music service cost even less to the participating Councils
* The survey we undertook of our membership indicates significant latent demand for Wakefield’s services, and seems to show that the pricing of the service could be increased with little effect upon demand. This creates the potential for a self-funding service over time
* Two expressions of interest have been received from third parties offering to take the Service over. Whilst these are being carefully considered, all are agreed that a solution from a local authority would be very much more satisfactory
* Councillor Andrew Pinnock, Chair of YLI, wrote on the 17 January to the Chief Executives and Leaders of all the relevant Councils, urging them to consider continuing to fund the Service for at least another six months, and preferably a further three years. He has also requested a further trawl for suitable premises. The working party, that has been formed to find a way to save the library, strongly supports this approach.
* Also on the 17 January I wrote to local MPs urging them to support Councillor Pinnock's request.
Please take action now!
The relevant Leaders are: Barnsley (Labour)
Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Houghton: CllrStephenHoughton@barnsley.gov.uk
Bradford (Labour)
Council Leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood: ian.greenwood@bradford.gov.uk
Calderdale (Lib/Lab)
Council leader, Councillor Janet Battye: councillor.jbattye@calderdale.gov.uk
Doncaster (Elected Mayor – English Democrats)
Mayor of Doncaster, Peter Davies: themayor@doncaster.gov.uk
East Riding of Yorkshire (C)
Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Parnaby: councillor.parnaby@eastriding.gov.uk
Kirklees (L)
Council Leader, Councillor Mehboob Kahn: the.leader@kirklees.gov.uk
Leeds (L)
Council Leader, Councillor Keith Wakefield: keith.wakefield@leeds.gov.uk
North Yorkshire
Council Leader, Councillor John Weighell : cllr.john.weighell@northyorks.gov.uk
Rotherham
Council Leader, Councillor Roger Stone: leader@rotherham.gov.uk
Sheffield
Council Leader, Councillor Julie Dore: julie.dore@sheffield.gov.uk
Wakefield
Leader of the Council, Councillor Peter Box: pbox@wakefiled.gov.uk
York
Council Leader, Councillor James Alexander: cllr.jalexander@york.gov.uk
Please feel free to write to anyone else relevant within the Authority or Authorities.
