I refer to the article about the ‘complex and confusing libraries consultation’ (‘Libraries consultation is “complex and confusing”’, Times Series, January 22).

Councillor Reuben Thompstone claims that it is not clear who commissioned the research into the consultation and suggests there is something suspect about it. Well I’m happy to set the record straight.

On finding the council’s library consultation utterly confusing, I and others approached Mr Robb of The Research Practice. We did so because we know of his expertise in this area and his past efforts in exposing previous bogus consultations from Barnet Borough Council.

Our concern was that library reform was not being managed in a responsible manner and that the public consultation was designed to prevent us having our say.

Considerable resources have been put into conducting the research and there is no gain for those who have funded this project. The research report was sent to the council. It is, therefore, quite wrong for Cllr Thompstone to malign the efforts of those who have acted solely out of the public interest.

The research makes it perfectly clear that the consultation process is a cynical sham. It also suggests to me that the council have failed to do any quality work on library reform. The council’s current proposals look like an act of vandalism rather than something that has been thought through in a professional manner. Rather than try and disparage the research and its backers, the council should learn from it. Wasting public money and the public’s time on the council’s half-baked proposals and a sham consultation contradicts the principles of proper government.

So Cllr Thompstone, can we please have an apology?

Peter Mitchell

Victoria Close, New Barnet