Plans up in the air for Brockworth library
PLANS for a community library in Brockworth could be back on the cards – but they aren't set in stone.
Proposals originally set out by Gloucestershire County Council for a community-run facility in the village have gone out to consultation for a second time.
It comes after the council was told some of its plans were unlawful, and had to go back to the drawing board after a judicial review.
Neil Hopwood, from Brockworth Community Trust, said in an ideal world, the area's library would have more council support.
He said: "At the end of the day, anything which can be provided as a statutory service is better.
"The main thing, from our point of view, is we still don't feel that Brockworth has been given a fair assessment.
"When you look at the other libraries designated as community libraries, they are in places which are socially and demographically very different to Brockworth."
Under new proposals, "main libraries" will be established in larger areas.
"Partnership libraries" will be established in Hester's Way, Matson and Tuffley, which will be jointly run by the council and their communities, and "community libraries" will run in areas such as Churchdown and Brockworth, with grant funding.
Volunteer co-ordinator Maureen Rowcliffe-Quarry said residents who had been keen to help out during the first consultation now felt their futures at the library were unsure.
She said: "It's quite difficult when you encourage people to give their time, then tell them they might not be needed, and then turn around and tell them they're needed again.
"It's all still up in the air, because these are only proposals which have gone out to consultation.
"I had hoped they would be making all the libraries into partnership libraries and spread the funding around equally."
The public consultation will begin on January 30.
3 Comments
by MontyToplady
Thursday, January 26 2012, 7:35PM
“Tommadeit perhaps ought to consider that the cuts are going to be made regardless of whether the community run Brockworth residents run their library or not.
Maureen and Neil and co have made it clear GCC SHOULD run the library - the fact is they simply wont. Its then a choice for residents in this area of how much they want the service - will they run it themself or let it close.
My days - "depriving families of income" - the friends are really going overboard now. The Rhonda valley it is not my friend”
by tommadeit
Thursday, January 26 2012, 2:26PM
“Maureen Rowcliffe-Quarry perhaps ought to consider that every volunteer unless over and above the original service provided anywhere is taking someones job abd depriving individuals and families of income.
Further volunteers are not on a contract and therefore are fully within their rights to be on site only when they feel like it.”
by billy25
Thursday, January 26 2012, 12:41PM
“Churchdown is NOT going to be a "community library". This article is wrong. The Echo and Citizen always seem to include Prestbury and Churchdown in the "community library" list. Both of these libraries are actually going to continue to be run and funded by GCC. If even the press get it wrong how are the public supposed to make sense of the confusing plans?”