West Barnes Library ‘to be shut on Mondays’ 01/01/11
Merton Council plans to shut West Barnes Library for an extra day each week – on Mondays – from April 2011 but keep it open at lunchtimes on other days.
However, the threat of complete closure remains and a decision could be taken in January.
A community meeting will be held at the library on Tuesday, 18 January, at 7pm about West Barnes Library. Councillor Martin Whelton, Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Culture, will discuss proposals for its future.
West Barnes Lib Dem councillor Mary-Jane Jeanes said: “At a meeting on 21 December with [Cllr] Iain Dysart and me, Cllr Whelton said he would consider allowing volunteers to increase opening hours or to use the library facilities for meetings to increase its usage.
“If people would like to know more, they can contact either Iain or myself. I am putting up posters in the shops and we are writing to everyone who has signed our petition.”
At a council Cabinet meeting on Monday, 13 December, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors for West Barnes described the library as an “invaluable resource” for borough’s residents.
“I really don’t want West Barnes Library to go the same way as Lower Morden and Wimbledon Park libraries,” said Lib Dem Cllr Iain Dysart. “West Barnes has had a library since 1962 – four years longer than I’ve been around. And I want it to remain around much longer than me.”
Social aspect
Conservative Cllr Gilli Lewis-Lavender said: “I have had hundreds of messages from residents who would be very upset if the library closed. They don’t just use it for borrowing books, they love the social aspect of the classes, talks, coffee mornings and so on. I recently attended a quiz night there and the staff were absolutely excellent. There were many residents there as well. The record of borrowings does not reflect all the many and diverse ways people use their library.”
(What you can do to help Save West Barnes Library)
West Barnes and Donald Hope are the two least-used libraries in Merton, Labour Cllr Mark Betteridge, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Performance and Implementation, told the meeting. “We have to look at the whole population of Merton, and consider the stark reality of the financial position we are in. There are financial realities at play here.”
Labour Cllr Martin Whelton, Cabinet Member for Community and Culture, told the meeting: “West Barnes and Colliers Wood libraries will close for an extra day in future but will remain open at lunchtimes. Across the borough, we will have extra hours of library opening at lower cost. It is very regrettable but we have to face up to the realities of the Comprehensive Spending Review.”
Every possibility
Cllr Whelton added: “I hope I’m not in the position of having to close West Barnes Library. But it is right that I am not excused from having to make such a decision. We do have to consider each and every possibility.”
Later that evening, Cllr Whelton wrote on his personal blog: “No decision has been made to close West Barnes library. As a council we only received our grant settlement today – and as expected it's not good news. Like many other councils faced with a similar position we are still analysing the full extent of the cuts we need to make, no area of council expenditure can be off limits for possible cuts.”
(What you can do to help Save West Barnes Library)
The meeting at Morden’s Civic Centre heard that savings of £58million over four years still had to be found in the borough of Merton.
But the Conservative spokesman on libraries, Cllr Samantha George, called for greater transparency in the council’s budget papers with regard to library savings. “How can councillors make comment on a proposed budget saving if the true nature of the budget saving is hidden from them, and not brought forward to the public realm?” she asked.
Cllr George told the meeting: “I’m asking for correct information to be put on public record.”
● Would you miss West Barnes Library if it was closed? Let us know at mail@motspurpark.info.
You can email West Barnes councillors with your views:
Cllr Gilli Lewis-Lavender (Conservative): gilli.lewis-lavender@merton.gov.uk
Cllr Iain Dysart (Lib Dem): iain.dysart@merton.gov.uk
Cllr Mary-Jane Jeanes (Lib Dem): mary-jane.jeanes@merton.gov.uk
You can also email Cllr Martin Whelton (Labour, Pollards Hill ward), the Cabinet member for communities and culture: martin.whelton@merton.gov.uk
Now see what you can do to help Save West Barnes Library
External links:
West Barnes Library
Cllr Martin Whelton’s blog
Save West Barnes Library
(Facebook group)
Wimbledon Guardian: ‘Cuts announced’
Public Libraries News – survey
of UK libraries under threat
Wimbledon Guardian: Could volunteers counter library
hours cuts?
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[MotspurPark.info tries hard to get facts right, but if you spot a mistake or something missing, please write to mail@motspurpark.info]
Closure fears: Supporters are concerned
Alarming prospect: The Lib Dem’s leaflet
Cllrs Lewis-Lavender, Dysart and Jeanes
Feeling blue: A Conservative leaflet
Community plea: Sign in a shop window