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Cllr Bettison said: 'We take providing online access to our residents very seriously'
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Libraries get £30,000 of new computers

By Hugh Fort
August 29, 2012

Internet users in Bracknell Forest’s libraries can get up to speed with their research after a £30,000 project to replace the computers.

Library users will also benefit from a major refurbishment of the town’s main library which is due to start next month.

The project to upgrade the computers at the borough’s nine libraries finished last month and now users can benefit from a much faster connection and better software.

Bracknell Forest Council has carried out the work in two stages and now all the libraries have top-of-the-range computers.

Bracknell Library in Town Square was the first to receive the new PCs and the project finished with the installation of the desktops at Crowthorne Library in High Street.

Fiona Atkinson, the council’s community services manager, said: “I’m not sure how old the computers were, but they needed replacing as they were running quite slowly.

“Now we have much newer models which enable people to do much more.”

The new models run off Windows 7 and have the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox for users.

The broadband connection has also been upgraded for much faster access.

Fiona added that the latest software would be added every six months to keep them up-to-date. She also revealed a £500,000 refurbishment of Bracknell Library is due to start on Monday, September 3.

The plans will convert the library’s dormant basement area into a room with coffee facilities and a laptop area. Two new lifts and a staircase will also be installed as the library expands.

While the work is going on the library will remain open and there will be a short period of time where the operation has to move into the top floor of the library.

Councillor Paul Bettison, leader of Bracknell Forest Council, said: “We take providing online access to our residents very seriously.

“The technology is moving so fast that computers will need replacing regularly to keep up with demand. The problem is the software taking up so much of the memory.”

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Most recent user comments 10 of 10

I’m always trying to drag my children away from the internet, tempting them over to the television with some crisps, but sadly they find it all too slow and complicated, and they hate that the people aren’t actually real. But that’s progress, I suppose.

Timothy Jefferies
05/09/2012 at 14:34

Interesting point, Crimson Dawn. Perhaps it may all be a bit cosy.

Recently, a report of another Independent Remuneration Panel (chaired co-incidentally by the person who also chairs Bracknell's IRP) was rejected by the Standards Committee of the council concerned.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/8stkjktview

Forester, Bracknell
02/09/2012 at 02:29

Perhaps there should be more ordinary people on the reumeration committee? http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/independentremunerationpanel It looks like the panel does not even live in Bracknell!!!

Crimson Dawn, Bracknell
02/09/2012 at 01:15

Since you asked, Olds Oak, here's a bit more.

On average, each Birmingham councillor looks after the interests of 8,700 people. His or her Slough counterpart answers to 3,400 residents. For Bracknell the figure creeps 18% lower still to 2,800 but that councillor costs us 22% more than one doing the same job in Slough.

If 120 councillors can look after over a million people in a city the size of Birmingham, then Bracknell could probably be run by 14 or 15 councillors by comparison. Does it really need 42 of them to run Bracknell?

As for Manchester or Croydon, my council tax isn't paid to them, and nor is yours. As a Bracknell Forest resident, I'd like to focus on a bit more value for money closer to home first.

Forester, Bracknell
01/09/2012 at 15:31

Interesting Forester yes - But... How does the amount of work compare? What other expenses do they get? What is the council tax take? How many people does each councillor cover?

One of five biggest increases in the basic allowance between 2010-11 and 2011-12 was in Slough - £5,973 to £7,100 – a 19 per cent increase.

In Birmingham they get £16,267, and in Croydon £11,239.

Why do Manchester councillors each need nearly £16,000 per year when their counterparts in neighbouring Trafford happily carry out their duties for barely £6,000?

http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/home/2012/08/taxpayers-alliance-reveals-highest-lowest-paid-councillors-uk.html

Olds Oak, Finchampstead
31/08/2012 at 15:12

While welcoming improved facilities, you will find that Bracknell's councillors aremuch more generous to themselves!

Next time you are in the library, go to http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/councillors-allowances

Here are the basic allowances paid to each councillor for the six Berkshire Unitary Authorities: West Berks - £6,149; Slough - £7,100; Windsor & Maidenhead - £7,180; Wokingham - £7,360; Reading - £8,220; and for Bracknell's 40+ councillors.......it's £8,687 for each of 'em, that's £1,400 each above the average for the other five authorities.

Surely, Bracknell deserves much better than this?

Forester, Bracknell
30/08/2012 at 18:56

I imagine it's to do with cost isn't it? They can probably get Microsoft PCs much cheaper, plus if you're nipping into the library to check your email and don't know how to use an Apple, that'd be really annoying.

Megaman
30/08/2012 at 09:53

Good point there, Wiztwas - I live in a Microsoft ghetto and I would be interested to try out a bit of Apple stuff just for a bit of experience. I'm looking forward to the refurb of Bracknell library; i do hope they have some budget for the furniture. The current chairs are far too comfy and if I sit to read for more than ten minutes, I nod off ~ (snoring in public is very embarrassing) some good firm upright chairs are in order.

Frank Chicken
29/08/2012 at 19:55

Why are they exclusively using Microsoft, why can we not have some Macs and some Linux PC's?

I think people would be more interested in going to the library to try out something different.

Diversity is a good thing and the council should be encouraging it rather than supporting the mono culture.