Press Release - Council Action to Save Libraries is Overdue

Press release: Council action to save libraries is overdue, say campaigners

 

18 August 2016

For immediate release

Lewisham library lovers will be renewing their efforts to stop council cuts on the afternoon of Saturday 20^th August. Demonstrators will meet at 12pm and march from Catford Town Hall to Lewisham Library to protest against the £1 million cut from Lewisham Council’s library budget.

The march is organised by Save Lewisham Libraries, which is calling on Lewisham Council to reverse the cut and reinstate staff at the four libraries currently under threat. The action follows the decision by the council to press ahead with the cut in spite of a public consultation which found that the majority of respondents thought that the cuts should be taken from elsewhere. Save Lewisham Libraries believes that the cut could be easily reversed by using a small percentage of the council’s reserves.

Unless the cut is reversed, Forest Hill, Catford, Torridon Rd and Manor House libraries will lose staff. The council is looking to hand over responsibility for the libraries to community organisations, but the latest programme update shows that these plans aren’t working (1). Where the council can’t find anyone to step in, agency staff with no ties to the community will be brought in – at a greater cost to the council than the experienced staff who are losing their jobs – or staff from other libraries will be asked to step in, leading to substantially reduced opening hours.

Library user and march organiser Ian Crosson said: 

“Despite overwhelming local opposition, the council is pressing ahead with its plans to remove staff from libraries in Hither Green, Forest Hill and Catford. They want volunteers to run the libraries, but we’ve seen borrowing rates plummet where this has happened elsewhere in the borough (2). These plans will bring our libraries dangerously close to being shut down altogether. Volunteer delivered library services simply can’t offer the skilled support, range of materials and safe public space that properly staffed and resourced library branches provide.

“Growing numbers of libraries across London and the UK are being handed over to volunteer groups, and many are in danger of closing their doors for good as a result. In Lewisham we’re sending a clear message that this is not what residents want. Mayor Sir Steve Bullock must now choose whether or not he’ll listen and reverse this damaging cut. We hope he’ll take this opportunity to restore the lifeblood of Lewisham’s communities.”

Saturday’s march follows a demonstration in May, which saw hundreds of local residents march through the borough to show their support for the campaign to save Lewisham’s libraries. The march received widespread media coverage, including by the BBC.

More information about the campaign can be found at http://savelewishamlibraries.blogspot.co.uk/.

Media enquiries:

Rosie Downes, rosanna.downes@gmail.com / @rosannadownes / 07969 664090.

Notes to editors:

1)     The latest programme update from Lewisham Council can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2bdCGLB.
2)     Borrowing rates in community run libraries in Lewisham declined from 60-90% between 2010 and 2014 - substantially greater declines than borrowing rates in council-run libraries. In Forest Hill Library borrowing fell by just 6% over the same period. Figures can be seen at http://bit.ly/2bn1dyZ