5/9/2014

Public outrage over threats to close library

70 people packed the local community centre in Lark Lane to hear of the threatened plans to axe 11 libraries including local Sefton Park branch.

A large audience sat to listen to local children’s author Alan Gibbons detail the plans of the council cost cutting measures.

He explained that the 80 labour councillors were mostly nodding donkeys, braying to Mayor Joe Anderson’s every whim and wish. The only opposition being the four Green councillors.

Angry passionate speeches recounted the role of libraries in the preservation of culture in the city, and how they act as a social glue in hard pressed communities.

Examples were given to the meeting of offenders being helped by teachers trying to break people from cycle of crime. And with benefits now being dependent on access to the internet, how libraries provide a local resource to the unemployed, as well as the great role they play generally in keeping people informed and as meeting places.

One local activist, from the South Liverpool Against Poverty (slap), an anti poverty group announced that the cabinet has become a dictatorship, presided over by the Mayor, who seems indifferent to the needs of the hard pressed and vulnerable in the city. That the taking away and cutting services like this will lead to deaths.

Another echoed the call of many to join the local campaigns such as the local Sefton Park Meadows campaign.

There was a strong feeling that the government should restore the money taken off councils. And Alan Gibbons, in concluding remarks, said “They have money to re-arm, with the new weapons systems such as Trident, costing £80 billion, yet they have precious little left for the welfare of people or services.

Next meeting will be in a fortnight in the same place 16th September at 7.30pm.

Also see Campaign against proposal to close 11 libraries

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Sorry Comments Closed

Comment left by Paul Pastor on 6th September, 2014 at 9:16
Hope the protests against closure succeed in keeping the library open. Library closures - who ever thought it would come to this?