Lib Dems ask why has Calderdale moved Customer First back to the Library
Friday, 14 August 2015
Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Janet Battye has criticised the decision by Calderdale Council to move Customer First from Hebden Bridge Town Hall back into Hebden Bridge Library.
"In my opinion, this is wrong for a number of reasons, including that the service will be less confidential there because it will be delivered from the library desk."
"I've met with the Cabinet Member responsible, Cllr Steve Sweeney (Lab, Todmorden) , and the Labour Councillors for Calder Ward, but it's clear that minds have been made up and local concerns are not going to be listened to."
"This is the second time that Cllr Sweeney has taken a decision off his own bat without consulting either local people or local Councillors, including his party colleagues. The first example was in changing the day that Todmorden library closes from Thursday to Tuesday. Now he's decided to move Customer First out of the Town Hall in Hebden Bridge back into the library."
"He now accepts that he should have consulted but this seems to becoming a habit and makes me question how autocratic he is and whether he has any interest in consulting either ward Councillors or local people. His Directorate will be shortly be running the budget consultation exercise and I wonder how interested he'll be in that!"
"I've also asked a number of times whether Calderdale Council is still actively supportive of the Town Hall as Hebden Bridge's 'community hub', but have only now received verbal confirmation.
"That is at least as worrying because bringing together services, such as the Police, the Council's Neighbourhood Services, the Town and Parish Councils, with local community services, the community cafe and all the support work, including Staying Well and Dementia Care that are based in the Town Hall is an important cornerstone of the way forward for services.
"It makes me wonder what understanding and interest the Labour-run Council has in this whole approach."
"We'll be watching carefully to see what happens next. The most important issue is that local people should get a good service when they need it," said Cllr Battye.
See also
HebWeb Forum: Customer First