If you can convince the council to re-staff Forest Hill library then I'm sure we could come to some arrangement. But my motivation was to prevent our well used library end up as a set of book cases with a security guard, open for a few hours per week (as happened in other libraries). I was not prepared to see it closed, and there were no other organisations that were prepared to keep it open. Had a better bid come along I would have supported that!

I am here to defend the library. P1971 had more problems than me, as did a number of businesses who were not allowed to defend themselves, and other posters from across the political spectrum. I don't really want to get involved in the forum wars, but I know when I'm not wanted.

I disagree. I think if you look at the previous posts of that nasty racist they went to FH Comprehensive School, not Southend Grammar. But when I see racists or offensive posts I try to explain to people why they are wrong rather than boycotting the site altogether. But I agree that the other person's posts do a disservice to the other site and turn people off using that forum (which is what started this thread by a poster who has apparently never previously felt the desire to post on either forums). I'm not here to defend one forum or another, I only got involved in this to defend the library becoming collateral damage through misinformation/insinuation on this thread. You might not care if your comments damage the library, but I do.

I think that was a previous forum that fell flat on it's face due to poor layout, lack of engagement, lack of commitment by the people who set it up, and some deliberate attacks on the site.

Because they care and want to make a difference. For some people this is a motivation more important than political advantage or personal financial gain. Governors of schools and volunteers in the library are the types of people who make Forest Hill a better place.