Anger as school library service cut to save money

Parents and teachers have reacted angrily to a decision by Shropshire Council to end a service providing schools with new books and learning material.

The School Library Service has a catalogue of more than 250,000 books, artefacts, DVDs and online resources.

Two-thirds of schools across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin pay to use it.

Shropshire Council, however, has said it can no longer afford to subsidise the service.

An online petition has been started by the head teacher of Christ Church CE Primary School in Cressage, which paid about £1,300 for the service last year.

Tracey Cansdale called on the council to reconsider its decision.

"Books are being taken out of the hands of our children," Tracey said.

"Many rural schools like mine don't have dedicated libraries and the School Library Service is a cost-effective way of getting hold of books.

"It's very short-sighted and I'm cross."

The service is funded by schools paying a subscription fee.

It allows them to access a wide range of fiction books, art collections, online resources and artefact boxes, aimed at helping children engage with specific topics.

Shropshire Council had to meet a £30,000 income shortfall for the service in the 2023-24 financial year.

It has said it can no longer afford to provide the service which will end in autumn 2024.

The local authority has set out plans to make a total of £62m of savings this financial year.

Cressage father Rob Davies, who is also a parish councillor, said the decision to end the service was "heartbreaking".

"My kids absolutely love the books and artefacts," he said.

"We've really got to keep hold of this amazing service because once it's gone we'll never get it back."

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, who is the cabinet member in charge of education at Shropshire Council, said the School Library Service did not have to be provided by law.

"The scale of the financial challenge the council faces means there will be many such decisions that we have never wanted to make but face no choice," she added.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]