Paulton’s Labour Councillors, John Bull and Liz Hardman, have begun a campaign to save the Library at the Paulton Hub, which could be one of the local library branches to close in 2018 under new plans by B&NES Conservatives, if no volunteers or community organisations are found to run it.
The two Councillors have joined in with other Labour, Lib-Dem and Independent B&NES Councillors, who have signed a request to ‘call-in’ the decision – to send it back to the Cabinet for reconsideration, with Conservative proposals to find volunteers and community groups to run smaller branch and mobile library services.
Midsomer Norton and Bath’s libraries will be unaffected in this way, although Midsomer Norton is planned to move to the Hollies and the One Stop Shop in Manvers Street is now due to move to the current space in the Podium, after a recent consultation showed over 90% of respondents were opposed to a Bath library move. Moving the refurbished One Stop Shop instead is going to cost the Council £2.8m, with forecasted net savings of £393,000 a year for Bath and a saving of £798,000 p.a. for the Conservatives’ modern libraries programme across the area.
Speaking to The Journal, Paulton’s Cllr Bull said: “Branch libraries play a vital role in encouraging children to love reading and provide free books on loan to those who cannot travel to the only three libraries which will remain in B&NES. This decision could close a very popular local centre and put at risk the Hub café, which is also a much-loved social meeting place.”
Cllr Hardman added: “It may be possible to find other sources of funding to keep the library going. However, the first step is to persuade the Council to reverse this outrageous decision which will damage our community in Paulton.”
The call-in is scheduled for Monday, 13th November at 4.30 p.m. in Bath’s Guildhall. Opposition Councillors say the decision was made on the basis of a ‘misleading and inadequate report’, which does not look at the impact of the proposals, particularly consultation with mobile library users and the what will happen is volunteers or funding are not forthcoming for branch libraries. Cllr Joe Rayment (Labour, Twerton), said: “If this plan is implemented, community groups will be expected to take over all aspects of the library service, including buildings, running costs, staffing and IT. The report seems to think that libraries can find money through crowdfunding, but this is completely unrealistic and could result int he closure of popular and valuable libraries across the whole of our district. The Cabinet must review its decision and consider the full implications of this proposal.
“This call-in has the support of Labour and Independent Councillors representing the areas that will be hit by the closure of Radstock, Paulton and Moorland Road libraries. I hope the Conservative councillors serving Saltford and Weston, where the other two branch libraries are, will also support our call.”
In the meantime, local residents who want to keep their branch library should write to Cllr Karen Warrington, Cabinet Member for Libraries at The Guildhall, Bath BA1 or contact Democratic Services at the Guildhall by emailing: democratic_services@ bathnes.gov.uk. Residents will also get a chance to speak at the call-in meeting if they notify Democratic Services two days in advance.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have accused the Labour and Lib-Dem groups of scaremongering over the future of the mobile library service.
The authority’s Conservative administration has said it remains committed to the Mobile Library, having campaigned against plans by the Council’s previous Lib-Dem administration to withdraw the service in 2012. At the B&NES Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, 11th October, Council Leader, Tim Warren, responded to questions about the future of the Mobile Library, making it clear that the Cabinet remains committed to the service.
Councillor Karen Warrington (Cons., Clutton), the Council’s Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services, said: “We have been clear that we are committed to maintaining the Council’s Mobile Library provision, so to claim anything other is simply scaremongering, and so I hope that Labour and Lib-Dem councillors will retract their comments.”
As part of its Modern Libraries programme, the Council says it has earmarked £275,000 to support new community library projects throughout the B&NES area, a move which it hopes could expand local library provision in the years ahead. These libraries would be run by local community groups or parish councils, with ongoing support from B&NES, as well as funding to help with the cost of setting up the library. Community libraries already exist in Chew Stoke, Larkhall and Combe Hay.
Councillor Warrington added: “If a particular community feels that a new community library would better meet their needs than their current mobile library service, then routes and schedules could be reviewed to reflect the fact a new community library has been set up. But this clearly does not mean axing our mobile library service, and any changes would be done in consultation with the community.
“Despite the financial challenge faced by the Council, we are seeking ways to protect and even expand local library provision, and this community-led model has proven successful, both within B&NES and in many other councils. So it’s a shame that Labour and the Lib-Dems have decided to treat a valued local service as a party-political football in this way, rather than work with the Council on ways to make our library service sustainable for the future.”
Cllr Hardman added: “It may be possible to find other sources of funding to keep the library going. However, the first step is to persuade the Council to reverse this outrageous decision which will damage our community.”
The call-in is scheduled for Monday, 13th November at 4.30 p.m. in Bath’s Guildhall. Opposition Councillors say the decision was made on the basis of a ‘misleading and inadequate report’, which does not look at the impact of the proposals, particularly consultation with mobile library users, and what will happen if volunteers or funding are not forthcoming. Cllr Joe Rayment (Labour, Twerton), said: “If this plan is implemented, community groups will be expected to take over all aspects of the library service; including buildings, running costs, staffing and IT. The report seems to think that libraries can find money through crowdfunding, but this is completely unrealistic, and could result in the closure of popular and valuable libraries across the whole of our district.”
Local residents who want to keep their branch library are being encouraged to write to Cllr Karen Warrington, Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services or email: democratic_services@
bathnes.gov.uk. Residents can also speak at the call-in meeting if they notify Democratic Services two days in advance.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have accused the Labour and Lib-Dem groups of scaremongering over the future of the mobile library service.
The authority’s Conservative administration has said it remains committed to the Mobile Library, having campaigned against plans by the Council’s previous Lib-Dem administration to withdraw the service in 2012. At the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, 11th October, Council Leader, Tim Warren, responded to questions about the future of the Mobile Library, making it clear that the Cabinet remains committed to the service.
Councillor Karen Warrington (Cons., Clutton), Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services, said: “We have been clear that we are committed to maintaining Mobile Library provision, so to claim anything other is simply scaremongering, and I hope that Labour and Lib-Dem councillors will retract their comments.”
The Council says it has earmarked £275,000 to support new community library projects throughout the B&NES area, a move which it hopes could expand local library provision in the years ahead. The plan is for these libraries to be run by local community groups or Parish Councils, with ongoing support from B&NES, as well as funding to help with the cost of setting up the library. Community libraries already exist in Chew Stoke, Larkhall and Combe Hay.
Councillor Warrington added: “If a particular community feels that a new community library would better meet their needs than their current mobile library service, then routes and schedules could be reviewed to reflect the fact a new library has been set up. But this clearly does not mean axing our mobile library service, and any changes would be done in consultation with the community.
“Despite the financial challenge faced by the Council, we are seeking ways to protect and even expand local library provision, and this community-led model has proven successful, both within B&NES and in many other councils. So it’s a shame that Labour and the Lib-Dems have decided to treat a valued local service as a party-political football in this way, rather than work with the Council on ways to make our library service sustainable for the future.”