I read with interest Cllr Sue Anderson’s claim that the closure of four libraries in Harrow was “a direct result of the reduction in government funding.”

Cllr Anderson knows full well that isn’t true — the four libraries closed because the Labour administration of which Cllr Anderson is a member decided to close them.

Harrow council receives no direct funding for libraries from the Government, but rather various pots of money – some ring-fenced and others not – the latter of which the administration can choose how to spend.

In Harrow, Labour chose to re-employ an expensive chief executive with this money; in Hillingdon, the Conservative administration spent four years refurbishing their library network.

Rather bizarrely, Cllr Anderson then blames local Conservative politicians for not coming up with “serious suggestions” for tackling what she calls the council’s “funding crisis”.

This ignores the year we’ve spent highlighting examples of Labour frittering away money that could be better spent on services – from the aforementioned chief executive rehire to the £12,000 regeneration launch event with ‘ideas and feelings’ artwork.

Of course if Labour want us to run the council and make all the decisions for them, that’s fine, but they’ll need to resign or defect en masse first.

On the day Labour closed our libraries in North Harrow, Rayners Lane, Edgware and Hatch End, we were there talking to residents; their condemnation of Labour’s decision could not have been more strident.

So after ignoring the 15,000 people who petitioned against library closures, perhaps Cllr Anderson should spend a little less time lambasting us for not doing her job for her, and a little more time listening to what residents are saying?

Cllr Barry Macleod-Cullinane

Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group

Harrow Council