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| Libraries minister promises to act if councils cannot justify cuts | Libraries minister promises to act if councils cannot justify cuts |
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| Local authorities will face government action if they cannot justify library cuts, libraries minister Rob Wilson told librarians, peers and MPs at a packed meeting in the House of Lords to mark the launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Libraries (APPG). | |
| In his strongest statement yet in defence of library services, Wilson said: “Councils really need to make these decisions based on robust evidence rather than being ad hoc and reactive.” He added: “I also expect councils to consider a full range of funding and delivery options before making significant cuts.” | |
| At the meeting on Tuesday, the minister vowed to investigate if councils appeared to be failing their statutory duty under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act and added that the government would take action where needed. Under the act, local authorities must provide a “comprehensive and efficient” public library service. If they fail to do so, local authorities can be forced by ministers to take remedial action. | At the meeting on Tuesday, the minister vowed to investigate if councils appeared to be failing their statutory duty under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act and added that the government would take action where needed. Under the act, local authorities must provide a “comprehensive and efficient” public library service. If they fail to do so, local authorities can be forced by ministers to take remedial action. |
| Wilson said councils should only sanction significant cuts after “actively consulting” local people and professionals on all options to save money. | Wilson said councils should only sanction significant cuts after “actively consulting” local people and professionals on all options to save money. |
| His comments follow revelations by the Local Government Association that library services will be in the firing line as cash-strapped local authorities seek to plug a gap in funding of £5.8bn by 2020. The LGA claimed that two thirds of councils would be forced to shave millions off budgets after the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, published in December, failed to provide additional government funding for the financial year from April 2018. | His comments follow revelations by the Local Government Association that library services will be in the firing line as cash-strapped local authorities seek to plug a gap in funding of £5.8bn by 2020. The LGA claimed that two thirds of councils would be forced to shave millions off budgets after the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, published in December, failed to provide additional government funding for the financial year from April 2018. |
| LGA chairman Lord Porter said: “If councils stopped filling in potholes, maintaining parks and open spaces, closed all children’s centres, libraries, museums, leisure centres, turned off every street light and shut all discretionary bus routes they would not have saved enough money to plug this gap by the end of the decade.” He added that the government should relax rules for councils on setting business rates in order to meet the shortfall. | LGA chairman Lord Porter said: “If councils stopped filling in potholes, maintaining parks and open spaces, closed all children’s centres, libraries, museums, leisure centres, turned off every street light and shut all discretionary bus routes they would not have saved enough money to plug this gap by the end of the decade.” He added that the government should relax rules for councils on setting business rates in order to meet the shortfall. |
| Public libraries have proved an easy target for councils that need money to meet their social care obligations. In 2016, the Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Providers (Cilip) warned that over the next five years library closures could accelerate to almost 400, doubling the number that shut their doors over the past decade. In January, three local authorities put their public libraries on notice of closure. Bury council planned to close 10 of its 14 libraries in order to meet cuts of £32m by 2020. Bristol announced cuts of £1.4m to its library service and Plymouth announced the closure of almost two thirds of its 17 libraries. | Public libraries have proved an easy target for councils that need money to meet their social care obligations. In 2016, the Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Providers (Cilip) warned that over the next five years library closures could accelerate to almost 400, doubling the number that shut their doors over the past decade. In January, three local authorities put their public libraries on notice of closure. Bury council planned to close 10 of its 14 libraries in order to meet cuts of £32m by 2020. Bristol announced cuts of £1.4m to its library service and Plymouth announced the closure of almost two thirds of its 17 libraries. |
| At the House of Lords meeting, Cilip chief executive Nick Poole highlighted the role libraries play in community health and welfare. Describing librarians as “an army of 90,000”, he said they made “a profound contribution to the social and economic fabric of our great nation”. | At the House of Lords meeting, Cilip chief executive Nick Poole highlighted the role libraries play in community health and welfare. Describing librarians as “an army of 90,000”, he said they made “a profound contribution to the social and economic fabric of our great nation”. |
| MP Gill Furniss, the new chair for the libraries APPG, put the minister on notice that she would fight attempts to undermine the sector further. Describing the challenges facing libraries as increasingly difficult, she said: “As chair of the APPG I don’t mind falling out with the minister. If there’s a cause to be fought for, I’ll go and tell him about it.” |