Bid to protect funding to 25 under threat libraries

Birmingham's community libraries need to be protected as the council looks to cut funding from 25 of them, campaigners say.

The local authority issued a section 114 notice in September - effectively declaring itself bankrupt.

Since then it has released details of £300m savings over the next two years, including plans for large-scale cuts to funds from about 25 of its 35 community libraries.

Despite the savings measures, the council said it was committed to "providing an efficient and comprehensive library service".

Alex Thompson, who started a petition to protect Acocks Green Library, said the community had a responsibility to protect libraries for the next generation.

“We need to fight to keep our library open and stand together with libraries across the city to force the council to change their plans," she said.

“We’re not going to roll over and let this happen."

Thousands of people have signed similar petitions across the city.

If the planned cuts go ahead, the remaining 11 libraries- so far unnamed - are expected to be safeguarded by turning them into hubs to include wider services.

A public consultation is planned and while the future of the other libraries is unclear, one possibility is that they might be taken on by community groups.

People using some of the smaller libraries told the BBC they were a refuge, a place of community, and with access to computers and books that has never been more vital, amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Nestled in a prime spot in Erdington’s High Street, the library, based in a building which dates back to 1906, is a welcoming place for Anthony Watts.

He said: “It’s how I maintain contact with other people, I would be devastated if it were to close.”

Fellow library user Julie Patridge said: “Libraries are very important to me, I can't buy books and they have reference material.

“It’s also important that they provide computer access for those that can’t afford it.”

John Fergus said he had used the Erdington library for the past 50 years and for many people it was a valuable community space.

“You see some young people coming here, but it’s primarily the middle-aged and elderly so it will have a big impact on them,” he said.

Demonstrators are planning to gather at sites across Birmingham on Saturday to “read a book and show solidarity” in a "read-in" protest organised by the Friends of Kings Heath Library.

Statistics presented to councillors at a budget meeting held on 5 March, showed a decline in library usage over the past two years.

Aston Library has one of the lowest estimated footfalls with 8,717 people believed to have visited the site from January 2022 to the start of this year, while Sutton Coldfield had the highest with 126,975 in the same period.

To combat closure proposals, the Save Birmingham Campaign is calling for the council to transfer the assets into community ownership and create a libraries trust.

Kathy Hopkin, the group’s co-ordinator said: “The residents of Birmingham have nothing to do with the state that the council has got themselves into.

“These cuts coming will probably affect those that are already struggling the most, those that can't afford the heating bills and don't have internet access at home, it's undeserved and is really unfair.”

On the campaign’s website, more than 1,000 people have pledged their support and more than 200 community spaces have been listed as places of importance.

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: “The council is going through a challenging period due to the financial position and we understand it is an unsettling time for many of our residents.

“While we must operate within budget constraints, we are committed to preserving our statutory duty of providing an efficient and comprehensive library service to meet both current and future resident needs.”

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