Liverpool’s Green Party is calling on Mayor Joe Anderson to make good on his claim to have “saved” all of the city’s public libraries because he has still not given any details about how this would happen, nor has he confirmed that libraries will continue to be run by trained librarians.
The Mayor announced on Radio Merseyside and in the Echo a month ago, on 10th November, that he had saved all the 11 at-risk libraries, but details have never been presented to any council committee.
Green Party Councillors, who have been involved in creating a plan to save Sefton Park Library, were expecting a report to go to Cabinet meetings on 21st November and 5th December, but nothing has appeared. It does not appear on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting on 19th December.
Leader of the Green Party in Liverpool, Councillor John Coyne says “The Mayor’s announcement has caused confusion. We need to know whether he plans to keep our paid librarians. Without trained library staff we don’t have a proper library. He needs make sure we keep trained Council library staff attached to all of the libraries.”
Anna Key, Green Party Candidate for St Michael’s ward says “Sefton Park Library is one of the community libraries under threat. We founded a strong local Friends of Sefton Park Library with people willing to put volunteer effort into a rescue plan. But now many people think it is no longer necessary to volunteer.”
The Green Party has put a motion to the Council’s culture committee on Tuesday December 16th calling on the Mayor to make good on his pledge to save the libraries.*
NOTES
* The motion is here at Item 8
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1428&MId=14481
Key paragraphs
- Committee considers that the Mayor’s statement that the libraries are “saved” can only be made good if they continue to operate as Public Libraries, although with modifications.
- Committee believes that a Public Library requires the attachment of at least some trained library staff employed by the City Council. Committee therefore requests the Cabinet Member and the Mayor to ensure the retention of sufficient staff attached to each library for a continuing Public Library function to be sustained.”