A CAMPAIGNING resident has labelled proposals to close a number of libraries in the borough as “awful”.

As reported in April, some sites have been earmarked for closure as part of controversial plans to “transform” services.

The council’s cabinet approved the draft St Helens library strategy and delivery plan for 2023-2028.

The revised plans set out proposals to reduce the number of libraries from 13 to 7 – with residents and community groups encouraged to take part in a public consultation over the proposed changes.

Under the proposals, statutory library provision would be retained at St Helens (in the World of Glass), Chester Lane, Thatto Heath, Newton-le-Willows, Moss Bank, Haydock and Eccleston – while library provision would be ceased at Parr, Rainhill, Garswood, Rainford, Peter Street (which closed at the end of March due to the building space being leased to another organisation) and Billinge, which has been closed since March 2020 as a result of structural issues.

What campaigners are saying

Rainford resident Sue Butterworth, founder of the Save Rainford Library group on Facebook – which has more than 400 members – has expressed concerns over the plans.

She said: “I don’t agree with the overall St Helens library plan, I think halving the libraries when people need them is not a good idea.”

Sue also highlighted the “very high incidence” of elderly and disabled people in Rainford.

“That library is used by a lot of local people from different groups, it’s used for reading groups, it’s used for chair yoga, it’s used for the elderly meet up there,” she said.

“It’s like a community centre, so it’s much more than the books, but a lot of people still use the books.

“So the alternate thing given in the plan is people from here go to Moss Bank, but they’ve cut our bus services way down as well, and a lot of elderly people are past the age when they can still drive, they can’t just walk to Moss Bank, and it’s two buses, and the buses are irregular.

“So there are quite a lot of reasons why Rainford is quite unusual. I don’t agree with the overall St Helens library plan.

“I think to cut half your library service is awful to be honest when you’re spending money on other silly things.

“I think when it comes to Rainford, it’s a special issue because there’s so many elderly people here that depend on that library.”

Furthermore, Sue stated that she has doubts over a potential “community library” – highlighting that that the building would be closed for a year as it takes at least a year to set up, while money will need to be raised to fund it, and volunteers will be required to run it. She described it as a “massive undertaking”.

Meanwhile, Sue says a petition has been done, while people are being encouraged to fill in the consultation survey and being asked to put posters in their windows.

She added: “But to be honest, we’ve been told it’s very doubtful that anything we do will make a difference and that’s really, really depressing.”

Why is the council looking to cut libraries

Earlier this month, the council’s cabinet approved the draft St Helens library strategy and delivery plan for 2023-2028.

In July last year, the cabinet considered the adoption of a strategy and approved the implementation of a delivery plan as part of a cost-cutting mover.

However, during the implementation period “issues came to light that merited further consideration” and the council agreed to not take further steps to implement the decision.

They set out proposals to reduce the number of libraries from 13 to 7.

Residents and community groups have been encouraged to take part in a public consultation over the proposed changes. 

In her report to cabinet, director of communities Tanya Wilcock says in light of the “worsening financial circumstances”, the drive to improve the services provided by libraries and ensure they are targeted to those most in need is “more fundamental than ever”.

She adds: “This report outlines how the council intends to transform the library service into a modern forward-thinking service that contributes to the delivery of the borough’s priorities.

“The delivery plan sets out how the service will target areas of greatest need, reach into communities both physically and digitally and reduce the dependency on physical buildings.

“The new strategy includes difficult proposals to reduce the number of physical libraries in the borough from thirteen to seven.

“This will mean the closure of libraries in Peter Street, Parr, Rainhill, Billinge, Garswood and Rainford.”

The cabinet support the recommendation to approve the revised draft strategy and delivery plan and to commission a 12-week period of public consultation on the proposals.

Members were recommended to note the proposals to retain statutory library provision at St Helens (in the World of Glass), Chester Lane, Thatto Heath, Newton-le-Willows, Moss Bank, Haydock and Eccleston – as well as to note the proposals to cease library provision at Parr, Rainhill, Garswood, Rainford,  Peter Street (which closed at the end of March due to the building space being leased to another organisation) and Billinge, which has been closed since March 2020 as a result of structural issues. 

Furthermore, members were asked to note the proposal to “move away from a building focussed service to an enabling service” that addresses borough priorities through partnership working.

The aim of the delivery plan is that, by 2028, there will be an increase in the number of people using libraries, an increase in the loan of physical and digital books, an increased outreach programme, and further development of partnerships to provide library services and activities “where they are most needed and attracting a wider customer base”.

The council added that "a time when the council’s funding from Central Government is significantly reduced, down from £127m in 2010 to just £11m this year, this geographically spread model will target resources where it is required most".

Haydock is set to become the borough’s first SEND specialist library next year and St Helens Library will move back into The Gamble Building once internal renovations are completed.