Councillor expresses anger over library attacks

A councillor has hit out after dozens of reports of abusive behaviour in libraries in West Sussex were recorded in six months.

Councillor Duncan Crow, member for community support, fire and rescue at West Sussex County Council, said both young and old were responsible for the abuse.

Mr Crow said he believed the abuse was due to people becoming frustrated with library computers and because others were "under the influence of drink and drugs".

But despite an uptick in abuse, the councillor insisted that with roughly two million people visiting libraries each year, the number of incidents remains low.

Between April and June, there were 45 examples of physical and verbal attacks on council staff - including eight in libraries.

Between July and the end of September, there were 54 incidents. That included 21 in libraries.

"It's perverse when our staff are keen to help people, that they then find themselves the subject of abuse," said Mr Crow.

"We do ban people from our libraries if their behaviour is unacceptable. We absolutely put the wellbeing of our staff and our customers first."

Mr Crow told BBC Radio Sussex that library staff have been given de-escalation training, which he said had received "really good feedback".

He added that security guards have been deployed in libraries during busy periods.

Elsewhere, Mr Crow also criticised members of the public who abuse council highways workers.

"We can all get frustrate by roadworks but at the end of the day, they're there doing a job for our roads and there's never any excuse for being abusive," he said.

Mr Crow said support systems are in place for council workers who find themselves victims of abuse.

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