Lincolnshire libraries: county council responds to Sir Edward Leigh's criticism
| Posted: April 11, 2014
Councillor Nick Worth, Lincolnshire County Council's executive member for libraries, has responded to Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh's criticism of moves to axe 30 libraries.
Sir Edward has waded into the debate over the future of libraries and says the council must do more to find solutions to keep libraries open.
Councillor Worth responded: "I'm sure that Sir Edward will be delighted to know that, thanks to the support of local communities, it now looks like that we'll end up with more library provision than we have now – while also making substantial savings.
"We'll be offering all the groups that have come forward both financial and professional support, helping create a firm foundation for the long-term future of the new community hubs.
"We're currently assessing the business plans we've received for all 30 Tier 3 libraries, as well from seven communities wanting to create brand new facilities.
"We're aiming to respond to all groups by 2 May."
"A number of local authorities are now looking at adopting a similar approach to us, exploring the benefits of co-locating services and working with volunteers.
"This model has already proved successful in Saxilby and Waddington, helping us provide a better service while also making savings."
In his letter to the council, Sir Edward has protested the scale of cuts to libraries in Lincolnshire and calls local libraries "an absolutely vital local resource".
He goes on to say they "inculcate in the young a sense of the adventure of learning and provide access to new avenues of knowledge for them to explore".
He writes: "No one disagrees with the need for savings to be found and for cuts to be made.
"But it is necessary we in Lincolnshire think about the long term.
"If we close too many libraries now we are ending a long and organic tradition that has been cultivated for generations.
"When prosperity returns, it will be much more difficult to restart these libraries and the services they provided, especially if property is sold off to become residential or commercial units.
"I'm sure an analysis of the long-term costs and benefits would show that it would be immensely wiser to make cuts elsewhere in budget and keep as many of these libraries open as possible rather than to cut off innumerable future generations from the immeasurable benefits of a local library."
Sir Edward also pointed out that the county council could be more pro-active in finding solutions for libraries to remain open, citing the case of Nettleham where the parish council has sought a minimum five-year lease in exchange for operating their library but have been turned down.
Sir Edward said: "Nettleham Parish Council are being perfectly reasonable in their demands and they deserve a much more favourable reaction from the county council."
The Save Lincolnshire Libraries campaign has sought judicial review from the High Court regarding the county council's plan to hand over the running of 30 libraries to the community.
The council aims to save £1.7m and will also axe more than 100 mobile library stops and reduce opening hours at 15 static libraries.
4 comments
OldNan - - - Not only are they essential they're also being charged for. The council if they want to have them run for free should drop the charges for wages off the council tax bills, but they won't.
Agree with last comment. We need our libraries as essential community centres, they provide a source of information as well as entertainment, they cater for everyone in the community from tiny babies to the elderly and the disabled. All can get information, help, company, friends, and entertainment. Somewhere from local groups to meet, and also for "surgeries" in helping people. Somewhere where children without IT at home can still get their homework done. And where older people can also access the internet and get help on how to do this. And drop in anytime to relax, read newspaper and magazines and find information that they need. No money has been saved, and no money needed to be saved - in fact it looks likely that even more will be spent in closing the libraries, than in keeping them open with professional staff - it does not look like the costs of closing the libraries and paying redundancy to the staff, who were told not to speak to concerned library members about what was going on.
May I correct an impression that readers may have gained, following your news item about Nick Worth's opinions on library closures. The word 'volunteers' is only correct in so far as we are unpaid and are preparing to run a Community Library should we have to. We haven't volunteered to run a library; we are being forced to do so because Lincolnshire County Council have threatened us with the closure of our popular and well used facility if we don't. We will do our very best to step in if we have to but we would much rather that our library stayed open as the professionally run, properly staffed and funded community asset that it is at present. Neither alternative, of closure or community take over, is of our choice; we are being forced into this position because we are not willing to see the end of our library in The Deepings. The Friends of Deeping Library have been told we must 'do it or die' – the choice between them is NOT voluntary! Liz Waterland Chairwoman, The Friends of Deeping Library
I can understand volunteers being willing to take over the running of their local libraries and I applaud their determination to keep what is an essential service running for the benefit of others. However, they were given no choice, so what did the County council expect them to do? (a rhetorical question.) The conditions of the lease the council is insisting on, gives them a way out, blaming others and rapidly closing a library if things go wrong. (Echo April 01 2014) As Cllr Worth is also reported to have said, when asked if the libraries would re-open in the event of an improved economic climate, "Not if our group is in control of the council - but it is a democracy." (Echo August 01, 2013) I now have little faith in Cllr Worth's judgement, and from other comments he is reported to have made, he seems to be completely out of touch with the world the majority of people live in. I have serious concerns that over time, we may lose an essential service which the council has already devalued. They have already chosen to ignore the findings of the expensive research undertaken as part of the consultation process and are pressing ahead with their own agenda at the expense of other ideas. I also believe it to be morally wrong to make trained librarians redundant and replace them with volunteers who will do their job for nothing, however well intentioned the volunteers are. As I pay Council Tax, I would expect the council services provided to be run by professionals.