Friday 19 April 2013

Cuts Hit Libraries

It's a war of words in more than one sense. Tories say its Labour closing Libraries, Labour say 10% are at risk due to Coalition cuts.

Ed Miliband said dont close libraries, but Labour councils, along with Tories, are closing them down.

As always its the poorest affected the most by cutbacks, who use them for job hunting, research, learning and Internet access.

Labour Brent Council to close Willesden Green Library in NW London
http://www.savekensalriselibrary.org/2011/07/03/ed-miliband-slams-labour-run-brent-council-closing-libraries-is-a-false-economy/

Labour Sheffield Council to close up to 14 Libraries
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-21874322

According to http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2012/08/library-closures-are-overwhelmingly-taking-place-under-labour-councils.html
The following 41 libraries are being closed by Labour councils:

Bolton Council - five libraries.
Bradford Council - one library.
Brent Council - six libraries.
Flintshire (minority Labour administration) - two libraries
Hartlepool Council - two libraries.
Lambeth Council - one library.
Leeds City Council - 13 libraries.
Lewisham Council - one library.
Liverpool City Council - three libraries
Manchester City Council - two libraries.
Wakefield Council - two libraries
Waltham Forest Council - two libraries.
Wigan Council - one library.
Of the remaining 19 there are two in Northern Ireland. Two are in Doncaster (which has an English Democrat Mayor and a majority of Labour councillors).One is Cumbria which has a Labour/Conservative/Independent coalition.

Then there are the following 14 being closed by Conservative councils:

Barnet Council - one library.
Dorset County Council - one library (being replaced with mobile library.)
North Somerset Council - two libraries.
Shropshire Council - one library
Warwickshire Council - six libraries.
Westminster City Council - one library.

Labour say 1 in ten libraries are at risk http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/rowena-mason/9438929/One-in-ten-libraries-already-closed-or-at-risk-says-Labour.html

No comments: