Branches still face closure if community support cannot be arranged

(Picture: Paul James, Hanwell Library Users Group)

Despite huge opposition and petitions signed by over 17,000 people, Ealing Council is pressing ahead with plans for 'community managed' libraries.

Five libraries in the borough (Hanwell, Perivale, Pitshanger, West Ealing and Northfields) will be run by members of the community and no longer have employed council staff - but only if groups wishing to help run them can provide a credible business case.

Proposals for each of these libraries are to be considered and groups will be asked to submit their case over the summer with a decision on their future being made in the autumn. Failure to find acceptable arrangements is likely to result in closure.

A march was held on Saturday against the plans and protestors made their case again the changes at the council meeting on Tuesday, but the Labour administration rubber-stamped the proposals.

Opposition Councillors have condemned the plans. Cllr Seema Kumar, Conservative Spokesperson said, ''Labour has been trying for several years to close our libraries.  Having failed to do so directly, there are now trying another approach; giving the libraries to the communities to manage with all the costs and risks.

'As exposed during the costly “consultation” process, the outcome was pre-determined.  They have ignored the 17,000+ people who wrote in opposition of these plans and several sites were already earmarked for housing.  In the case of the Perivale, the Council even went as far as to submit the site as eligible for housing in their grant application to the Mayor in November 2018!

'Ealing Labour has been dishonest throughout this entire process and have no appreciation of how valuable the libraries are.  They have cut a further £571,000 for the library budget and keeping the book stock at a £240,000 for 7 libraries; the actions of an administration hell-bent on closures.

'Despite an overwhelming response against the changes, Labour is claiming that the respondents were not representative of the views of Ealing residents as a whole and their feedback was influenced by petitions and social media.

'We want all 13 of libraries to remain fully open, but as usual, Ealing Labour is not listening!'

Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Gary Malcolm said, 'Liberal Democrats think this is totally wrong. Education and libraries are crucial. How often is it that we say that we need to educate ourselves and then at the same time we reduce the facilities for people of all ages to study and make use of library facilities? Liberal Democrats would cancel these plans straight away.'

The full council report can be read online at www.ealing.gov.uk/committees.

Residents who would like to support their local libraries can contact the council by emailing libraryvolunteer@ealing.gov.uk.

17th July 2019