News / bristol city council
Lifeline for Bristol’s threatened libraries
A hiatus has been reached over the future of Bristol’s libraries, as the council bows to public pressure and agrees to explore options that could save services from closure.
The announcement in February that funding would be withdrawn from 17 of the city’s 27 branches in a bid to save £1.4m met with widespread outrage and condemnation, as people from across the city united in opposition to the cost-cutting proposals.
In the wake of overwhelming public and cross-party pressure, the council has announced it will not make a decision in December as planned, but instead continue to explore alternative options to ensure the long-term sustainability of the service.
Anthony Negus has welcomed the decision
Lib Dem Anthony Negus put forward a motion calling on the council to re-examine plans which was passed by a margin of just one vote at a full council meeting on Tuesday, November 14.
He welcomed Friday’s announcement and said it is a good sign that the mayor is listening to the thousands who signed petitions and campaigned to save libraries across the city.
“I welcome this move and will be contacting the mayor and deputy mayor to offer ways in which the whole council can contribute to an alternative and sustainable way forward,” said the councillor for Cotham.
Tim Kent, Lib Dem councillor for Hengrove and Whitchurch Park, added: “This decision throws our libraries a real lifeline.”
The Lib Dems are advocating an alternate model of mutualisation – a non-profit-making organisation to run the library network, led by paid professional staff working with volunteers.
The future of Bristol’s library service, and what shape it will take, remains uncertain, but the council has granted more time to work on a solution as it carries out an independent consultation – paid for by the Government – to find a way forward.
Asher Craig has said the proposals for Bristol’s libraries are not a done deal
Deputy mayor Asher Craig said: “We appreciate this is a very difficult situation and I would like to thank everyone who has taken part in the consultation, and put forward ideas and suggestions.
“At this stage, nothing is off the table, but it is right for us to wait until the outcome of this review before making a final decision.”
At last week’s full council meeting, Craig warned that people should not get too hung up on individual buildings as the library service strives to adapt and modernise.
The decision will have implications on the proposed budget savings in the short term and the council says a savings forecast made I the next financial year will be covered by using a reserve fund set up specifically to meet the costs of changes to proposals as a result of consultation.
Read more: ‘If we lose Bristol’s libraries now, we will never get them back’
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