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Doncaster’s libraries will close as pleas for re-think thrown out
Bessacarr Library, one of those to close as part of the shake-up of libraries in the borough
CAMPAIGNERS accused Doncaster’s mayor of a one-man crusade as the axe fell on 14 of the borough’s 26 libraries.
Following approval by Doncaster Council’s cabinet, the doors are to close with almost immediate effect at sites in Denaby and Carcroft, where services will be replaced by mobile and outreach provision only.
Twelve other libraries are expected to become community-led services in a variety of venues between now and March, in a bid by the council to shave £784,000 from its budget. The closures, which were re-affirmed yesterday, come after months of wrangling between the council and campaigners, who say communities will be damaged by the move.
The council has argued the current £5.26 million running costs of all 26 libraries is unsustainable and that it needs to focus on resourcing and upgrading a core network of 12.
Speaking outside yesterday’s meeting, protestors said they had been silenced by its chair, Peter Davies, who had told then they would not be allowed to speak.
One, Gill Johnson, the former head of Doncaster’s library service, said: “We believe the whole closure consultation process has been flawed and whole communities will be damaged.
“There has been a distinct lack of transparency and it’s a scandal that everything can be done at the whim of one person.
“We don’t see how communities can be expected to fund their own local libraries on top of paying for the council run ones.”
She said the campaigners were in consultation with two legal firms to see what their options were, but said the cost of pursuing an injunction against the council, as had happened in Brent and Gloucestershire, was cost prohibitive.
Recommending the closures to the cabinet, Mr Davies said that comprehensive consultation had been carried out, and while he had constantly asked the campaigners for alternatives he had not received anything from them.
“The number of active protestors on this issue have been minimal. No-one has approached me in the street and told me I’m doing a bad thing here,” he said.
“No-one wants to close libraries and we have been doing our level best to keep them open up until now...but the sad truth is that the majority of our population do not use libraries.” Yesterday’s cabinet had to re-discuss the proposals after a watchdog committee of councillors called in a previous decision to press ahead with the closures.
However, despite pressure from opponents the cabinet did not back down.
It was reported to the meeting that public response to questionnaires in Denaby had been just five per cent. Carcroft and Denaby libraries are expected to close next week, followed quickly by Bessacarr, Rossington, Intake and Moorends, then Balby, Warmsworth, Stainforth and Scawsby on January 1; and Bawtry, Edenthorpe, Sprotbrough and Wheatley on March 1.
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Thursday 23 February 2012
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
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Jim Campbell
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 03:32 PMThe mayor blames everyone but himself. It is his decision and his alone to close more than half of Doncaster's libraries.
John from Balby
Friday, November 25, 2011 at 10:05 AMThe Mayor will get his cumuppance at the next elections when he gets voted out. He makes me sick and ashamed to live in Doncaster.
lsmith
Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 08:33 AM"The number of active protestors on this issue have been minimal. No-one has approached me in the street and told me I’m doing a bad thing here,” says the Mayor. I'm sorry, I didn't realise that the way to make the Mayor listen to the views of the public was to approach him in the street. I thought we were supposed to use traditional methods of democratic engagement such as writing letters explaining our views, taking part in consultation, attending public meetings and expressing concerns to the Mayor there, signing petitions etc. If only the 16,000+ people who have signed petitions against the plans had known that their views did not count as an expression of disagreement, and that they should approach the Mayor in the street instead! If only the hundreds of people who attended public protests had known that the Mayor wouldn't realise that they opposed his plans unless they tapped him on the shoulder! If the Mayor really does only care about the views of those who approach him in the street, he should relocate his office to Clock Corner. Ridiculous.
allez
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 07:08 PMLets look on the bright side, the libraries are closed but the people of Doncaster can have an unrestricted view at the racecourse. A sad sign of the times for the children of Doncaster.
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