Bonnie Burke

Parliamentary Researcher

Office of Helen Goodman MP

Shadow Minister for Culture, the Creative Industries and Communications

Tel: 0207 219 1443

Mob: 07910 586869

 

Press release

15 April 2014

 

Helen Goodman leads call to value local libraries

 

Helen Goodman, Shadow Minister for Culture, today visited Lincoln where local libraries are under threat of closure. Joining local campaigners, she said:

 

“The Conservative-run Lincolnshire County Council action in closing three-quarters of libraries is disgraceful.

 

“Local libraries are central to our societies, offering a safe space for all. They are places where the unemployed can go to find job information, where children without computers can do their homework, and where social events for young and old take place. They are investments in our future through the communities they nurture and skills they foster.

 

“The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has a legal duty to ensure that every local authority has a comprehensive and efficient library service. I have now written to the new Secretary of State demanding that he take action. Instead, his department is undertaking two reviews, even questioning the role of public libraries.

 

“Labour is committed to avoiding a postcode lottery; maintaining a core professional service; and modernising and strengthening the role of libraries in the knowledge economy.”

 

Ends

Editors’ notes

 

1.       Lincolnshire libraries are facing:

·         A £2 million budget cut

·         29 out of 44 libraries will lose funding, closing unless they become volunteer run

·         170 jobs will be lost

·         Library opening hours are to be reduced

·         The mobile library service will be cut by over 100 stops

·         School library budgets are to be cut to zero

·         A quarter of households will be placed beyond the Government’s own distance guidelines

More here.

 

2.       Local authorities are struggling in a climate of harsh cuts: a 40% cut in local government funding over this Parliament, or £20bn by 2015/16. In the face of these cuts, local authorities are making difficult decisions, often resulting in library closures, cuts to opening hours and staff, or transfer of libraries to the control of volunteer groups.

 

3.       The Libraries Campaign estimates that over 600 libraries will have been closed or turned into volunteer libraries over three years to the end of 2013. The Library Campaign predicts at least 1,000 libraries could be lost by 2016.

 

 

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