News / Bristol Libraries
All of Bristol’s libraries saved
All of the 17 Bristol libraries threatened with closure are to be saved – at least for now.
The surprise announcement from mayor Marvin Rees follows a year of bitter uncertainty and public opposition over plans to axe £1.4m from the service as part of a series of biting council cuts.
This u-turn from the Labour administration has been welcomed by a number of politicians and campaigners, but it is not the first time the libraries have come under threat and it is unlikely to be the last, with funding only guaranteed until 2020.
is needed now More than ever
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Announcing the news on Tuesday morning, Rees said: “Thanks to my all-Labour administration’s responsibility with council taxpayers’ money, we have found a way to safeguard funds and use reserves to cover the £1.4m annual shortfall caused by the former mayor’s overspend and continuing cuts from the Conservative Government in Westminster.
“Next week, a cabinet report will be published setting out plans for how my administration can invest to keep every single library in Bristol open.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with local community groups and councillors to transform and modernise our library service into the future, building on the work of Labour councillors Estella Tincknell and Jo Sergeant – both former branch librarians.”
People packed into a public meeting in Redland Library to voice their dismay at the proposed cuts
The u-turn comes almost a year to the day after proposals that would have seen 17 of the city’s 27 libraries close were first announced as part of a bid to plug an expected £108m budget gap by 2023.
It has been accompanied by calls to safeguard libraries, which act as a vital lifeline for so many communities, for the long-term future, not just short-term, following a roller-coaster few years, which saw a number of libraries facing closure in 2015 under the previous administration and again two years later, before a reprieve was announced in November 2017.
Welcoming the current hiatus, Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East, said: “I am so pleased with this announcement, having worked hard with councillors and the local community to help find a way forward for Wick Road Library.
“The council has been under immense pressure due to Government cuts, but Marvin and [deputy mayor] Asher Craig have been constructive and open throughout this process – always prepared to talk to me, and to listen to local people.”
Labour colleagues echoed her words, but opposition parties have been more cautious in their response and there has been criticism of the council for casting so much doubt over the future of libraries in the first place.
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The announcement is no doubt good news for the many campaigners who fought tirelessly to keep libraries open and a testament to the sheer strength of public opinion. Further details of how the council plans to safeguard the city’s libraries are expected at a cabinet meeting on July 3.
Read more: Lifeline for Bristol’s threatened libraries
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