Theresa Villiers MP has come out in opposition to proposals for library closures in her Chipping Barnet constituency. In her response to the consultation on libraries in Barnet which closed yesterday, she called on Barnet Council to find other ways to make the savings needed in the libraries budget.
Ms Villiers said: “I am calling on the Council to keep all of the five libraries in my constituency open and rule out the options in their consultation which would see some of them close.”
“Libraries are a much valued community resource in my constituency. They provide important educational and learning opportunities for people of all ages and contribute to social mobility, for example by providing a quiet place for children and young people to study even if their home life is disrupted. Many older people place great importance not just on library services, but on the opportunity for social interaction a visit to the library can offer. My constituents also greatly value library buildings as community spaces which can support a wider network of local activities and meetings.”
“I accept that savings need to be made in libraries funding because of the reduction in council budgets needed to deal with the deficit inherited from the last Government. But it should be possible to make the savings necessary by reforming the way libraries are run and staffed not by closing them.”
“Option One in the council’s consultation could potentially become a basis of a sustainable way forward for our libraries in Barnet, but a number of crucial questions need to be answered before the case is made out for Option One. For example, assurances are needed that reductions in floor space will be kept to a minimum, and any potential relocation proposals need to be accompanied by firm guarantees about where and when the relocated library will open.”
Ms Villiers has submitted the following response to Barnet Council’s consultation on libraries:
My Chipping Barnet constituency has five libraries: Chipping Barnet, East Barnet, Osidge, South Friern and Friern Barnet. I would urge the Council to keep all of them open.
There is strong support for the libraries in my constituency. In my view, they provide invaluable educational and learning opportunities for people of all ages. They also make a helpful contribution to social mobility, for example by providing a quiet place for children and young people to study, even if their home life is disrupted. My understanding from the feedback my constituents have given me is that libraries are a popular resource for a very wide range of people from across our diverse borough, including our minority ethnic communities. Many older people place great importance not just on library services, but on the opportunity for social interaction a visit to the library can offer.
As the Council’s consultation also acknowledges, it is not just access to the books and services which is appreciated by the public. People also greatly value library buildings as community spaces which can support a wider network of local activities and meetings.
I acknowledge that the record deficit inherited from the last Government means that the Council has to take some difficult decisions to enable it to continue to deliver high quality services with reduced budgets.
I accept that it would be hard to make the savings needed by the Council without some reduction in funding for libraries.
I therefore believe that the Council would be justified in seeking to make some savings from the libraries budget. However, the Council needs to find a way to make those savings whilst continuing to provide excellent quality library services to my constituents. I do not believe that it is necessary or justifiable to close any of the libraries in my constituency. There are other more efficient ways to reduce costs by reforming the way libraries are run.
I therefore reject Option Two since it would mean the closure of two libraries in my constituency (Osidge and South Friern). Nor is Option Three acceptable. Community run libraries can provide an excellent service and a real local hub (as illustrated by the success of Friern Barnet Community Library). But while this model can certainly play a useful role in the future, I do not think it is practical to expand it on the scale envisaged by Option Three.
There are elements of Option One which I can support, in particular the fact that it keeps all libraries open in my constituency and would lead to longer opening hours. But there are important questions which would need to be resolved before Option One could be acceptable.
The consultation states that some libraries might be relocated. The Council needs to provide information about which libraries might be moved and where they would go. I would be gravely concerned at the prospect of a library closing its doors without a very firm guarantee of its re-opening immediately on another site which was equally convenient for my constituents.
The consultation document envisages a reduction in floor space for library services in each building. It would be essential to provide clarification on how that will impact on each of the libraries in my constituency. Some modest reduction in floor space might be acceptable, particularly if it were accompanied with refurbishment and better disabled access. But any reduction needs to be kept to a minimum.
Better use of library facilities for external groups, with a view to generating an income stream is a sensible way to contribute to the financial sustainability of our local libraries. Deepening local community involvement with libraries is also helpful.
I accept that changes to the way libraries are staffed are necessary if savings are to be made without closing any libraries. I also accept that the self-service model outlined in the consultation (which used in some other parts of Europe) should be properly considered. Before I could support such a change though, I would need more detailed information and assurance on how this model would work in practice. In particular, what steps will be taken regarding security and what options will library customers be given when seeking information outside of staffed hours?
I have reviewed the consultation’s options carefully. I would be grateful if you would please add my views to the consultation responses. In summary, I accept that savings needs to be made in libraries funding and that therefore changes need to be made to how libraries are run and staffed.
I believe that all the libraries in my constituency should be kept open. I would urge you to rule out closure proposals. Options Two and Three are not acceptable. Option One could potentially become a basis of a sustainable way forward for our libraries in Barnet, but a number of crucial questions need to be answered before the case is made for Option One.