Fears for future of eight libraries in borough

Community volunteers in Kirklees have raised concerns over a council plan to transfer some libraries into community control.

Labour-controlled Kirklees Council is considering putting local communities in charge of eight of its 24 libraries.

The Friends of Mirfield Library group fears the proposals could lead to the closure of the site.

Kirklees Council said: "Any talk of a plan to close a particular library is incorrect."

The authority has to make about £34.5m of savings in the next year to avoid effectively having to declare itself bankrupt.

The eight libraries which could be transferred into community control are Honley, Meltham, Marsden, Kirkheaton, Skelmanthorpe, Denby Dale, Mirfield and Shepley.

In previous years when the library service came under pressure to cut staff, dozens of volunteers signed up to help fill the void.

There are now 400 volunteers working in libraries across Kirklees.

Cynthia Collinson, chair of Friends of Mirfield Library, told the BBC they feared the library would be left with a lack of support.

"We can run day to day, putting books on shelves et cetera, but we do not have the expertise of managing a library of this size," she said.

"My fear is it might have to close, and it would just be cutting off a lifeline for so many vulnerable people."

Conservative councillor Adam Gregg, representing Lindley, echoed her concerns and said the "burden" would be put on volunteers.

"It is one thing volunteering for a couple of hours in a library but another thing managing the whole management and finances," he said.

Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, is also calling for libraries to be maintained at their current levels of staffing and labelled the government's Budget as a "missed opportunity" to give them support.

Kirklees Council said it didn't want to close any of its 24 libraries, but wanted to move eight of them to be "community-managed libraries".

Council officers believe transferring libraries into community control - a decision to be made at a later date - could save £912,000 in 2025-26.

In a statement, the council said: "Like virtually every council in the country, Kirklees faces a major financial challenge.

"We think involving communities more in the running of our libraries is one way we can keep these vital services accessible within our very limited resources."

The spokesperson continued: "That's why we will be spending the next few months talking to residents and local groups about the right library service for them - any talk of a plan to close a particular library is incorrect."

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