Controversial plans to integrate Council services into Bath Central Library have been put on hold, with a statement

released by the local authority on Tuesday this week. Cabinet member, Karen Warrington, admitted the proposals “have not always been well-received by everyone”, and said the decision was “difficult but prudent.”

Bath & North East Somerset Council needs to save £50 million over the next five years, and the Council says that no remodelling work will be carried out at this time on the Podium site for this reason.

The development would have seen the authority’s One Stop Shop, currently in Manvers Street, integrated into the library.

But campaigners said important questions about the costs and how the building would operate remained unanswered.

Councillor Warrington, the Cabinet member for Transformation and Customer Services, said: “I am committed to providing a modern and sustainable library service across our area, despite the very challenging budget savings we have to make.

“We have seen local support for community libraries across the district, including at Weston and Moorland Road libraries in Bath.

“As a result, we have been able to make savings and secure local provision by working with local communities, and I want to see more of that.

“However, our proposals for Bath Central Library have been more complex, and have not always been well-received by everyone.

“With this in mind, and with a challenging budget to set ahead of us, the decision has been made to freeze further work at the Podium, but continue to deliver on other improvements identified as part of the Modern Libraries programme.

“It has been a difficult decision to make, but a prudent one, and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the design proposals for the library to date and who continue to support the library service.”

A Council spokesperson said it remains committed to a library at the Podium in Bath and its wider Modern Libraries programme of capital investment to secure the future of the library service in Bath & North East Somerset.

The programme also includes more community-run libraries, a mobile service, more integrated library and information services as in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton, and new ways of working.

The programme is saving £350,000 annually.

Reacting to the announcement this week, Councillor Richard Samuel (Walcot), the Lib-Dem spokesperson on community services, commented: “The Lib-Dems have been saying all year that the proposals to integrate the One Stop Shop into Bath Central Library were unworkable and doomed to failure. The project was expensive, poorly thought-through, and opposed by the vast majority of library users.

“In fact, this whole process has been a huge waste of money and time – particularly for the local people who gave up their time to help with the design engagement sessions.

“I spoke at both the recent Cabinet and Council meetings about the failures in this project, yet neither the Leader or Cabinet member were prepared to tell the truth about the current state of play. Indeed, Cllr Warrington was telling the local press only last week that building works were due to start in the New Year.

“Clearly, putting the project on hold is code for kicking it into the long grass until after the elections next May.

“The Conservatives should face facts, listen to the public, and cancel the scheme entirely, rather than try to save face by blaming a capital review.”

Stephen Sumner