Directorate of Social and Community Services

Libraries, Arts and Archives

Local Studies and Archive Centre, Central Library, Townley Road, Bexleyheath, Kent. DA6 7HJ. Fax: 020 8304 7058

www.bexley.gov.uk/libraries

Mr John Rickard

Sent by email: [FOI #44410 email]

Dear Mr Rickard,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST

Your request: I would like to know if Bexley Borough Council are proposing any closures of libraries in the borough. I would also like to know if there are any proposed staffing cuts in the borough's libraries.

Your request for information has now been considered and it is not possible to meet your request. In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 this letter acts as a Public Interest Refusal Notice. It is considered that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. The exemptions applied are,

These exemptions apply because the Coalition Government is due to announce the Spending Review on Wednesday 20^th October, which will set out spending plans for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15. More information is available here,

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_index.htm

Locally, the London Borough of Bexley is already working on a 2014 strategy, including Bexley First, http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4193

This work is constantly evolving in light of national and local developments. Once the Spending Review is announced, the Council will be able to start to make the decisions on present and future services. Any such decisions will be reported to the Council. The website for the London Borough of Bexley provides access to these decisions, http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=418

Your request will not be fulfilled but if you have any further information needs in the future then please contact me.

You have the right of appeal against the decision. If you wish to appeal, please set out in writing your grounds of appeal and send to the FOI Review Officer at [Bexley Borough Council request email] who will arrange a review of the request for information and the response made by the London Borough of Bexley.

You also have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF 
Telephone:   0303 123 1113
www.ico.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,

John Grosvenor

Local Studies Librarian and Freedom of Information Officer