Anger and sadness as St Helens Council agrees library closures

What was decided?

St Helens Council’s Labour cabinet agreed last Wednesday afternoon at the town hall on recommendations to close Garswood, Rainhill, Rainford and Parr libraries at the end of January.

Meanwhile, Peter Street and Billinge libraries will not be reopened after having been closed due to expiry of a building lease and structural issues, respectively.

Rainhill Library is among those- the council decided to close (Image: Google Street View)

The decision was made despite a consultation, which received nearly 6,000 responses, which saw a large majority opposed to library buildings being axed.

Cllr Anthony Burns, cabinet member for wellbeing, culture and heritage, told the town hall meeting 'no cabinet members around this table want to close a library in the borough,' but cited the 'disastrous effect' of continuing budget cuts and that the authority had to 'balance the books'.

He said the library service would 'maintain a geographical spread of libraries' in the borough and that the council’s strategy will 'create a modern library service' that is 'at the heart of communities'.

Parr Library (Image: Google Street View)

The meeting heard the council is looking at a 'community-managed approach' for libraries that will close, and is in talks with groups about this, though those buildings would no longer be under the local authority’s control.

Last year, the Star reported as an opposition councillor made claims there was “unconscious bias in decision-making”, because Billinge, Garswood, Rainford and Rainhill libraries - which have opposition councillors – were among those facing closure.

Labour countered that claim, pointing out that areas such as Haydock, Eccleston and Bold, with opposition town hall representatives, still have council-run libraries, meaning the argument is deeply flawed.

However, many residents in affected communities which will see their council-run library axed say they have been left upset by the decision.

Rainford Library (Image: Google Street View)

Sue Butterworth, who launched the Save Rainford Library campaign group, said: “In Rainford, the library is the centre of the village.  Rainford has a high percentage of elderly people and one of the highest rates of council tax. 

“There is a misconception that it is a totally affluent area yet there are lots of young families here, a large amount of housing authority housing and the library has been used for handing out food parcels and as a designated safe, warm space last winter. 

“It is a much-needed resource for books but also for socialising and to prevent isolation. It is a completely free space for people to meet up and there are groups for the elderly and families alike.  These groups have not been considered by St Helens Council.  One of their ‘remedies’ for them is to get two buses to Moss Bank Library or the temporary library in The World of Glass! 

“We have two buses an hour in Rainford!  It takes two buses to get to Moss Bank.  The other remedy suggested is the great technology they are introducing which the elderly can’t access, or to have books delivered to them isolated at home,  not acceptable.”

Sue added: “Many Rainford residents are not behind the idea for a community library because they can’t see the viability of it. 

“If a council tax-funded council struggled with keeping this library open how on earth can a small village community and charities keep it going? We see the ‘community library’ idea as something the council has encouraged as a distraction whilst they close the library.”

Rainford Conservative councillor Linda Mussell (Image: St Helens Council)

'A retrograde step'

Rainford councillor Linda Mussell described the closure of the village’s library as a “retrograde step”.

She said: “The number one priority for St Helens Council must be its children and the future lies with the development of these children, closure to local libraries, this is a retrograde step. Currently children can walk to the library in Rainford but will be unable to do so if as suggested they use Moss Bank.

 “With the highest over-65 resident population, higher than the national average and highest in the borough, in percentage terms, this will affect them detrimentally, not all have access to the internet, to suggest they use Moss Bank or the Town Centre library is not practical with limited access to public transport.” 

Cllr Mussell added: “We are, however, where we are now, it is the Cabinet's collective decision and they must own it using whatever mitigation they choose.  We are determined, with the Councils assistance and the National Community Library Network  to keep the facility and provision open for our residents as a Community Library and Hub.”

Independent councillors in Rainhill, where there was significant backlash against the plans during the consultation process, have also been critical of the decision.

Cllr James Tasker said on his public Facebook page: “Out of the 13 libraries in St Helens Rainhill is the 3rd busiest library. St Helens Labour are keeping seven libraries open but the third busiest library will close as it doesn’t make financial sense to keep the best performing and most used libraries open”.

'A strategically disastrous decision'

Meanwhile, Billinge & Seneley Green independent councillor Peter Peers (above), blasted the closures as a “strategically disastrous decision”.

Cllr Peers said: “As well as the closure of Billinge library, St Helens council also intends to close Garswood and Rainford Libraries.

“This decision means that to the west of the East Lancashire Road there will only be one library, which is in Moss Bank, to which none of the other communities has public transport links.

“Strategically this is a disastrous decision for the many thousands of elderly and young residents of Billinge, Garswood and Rainford.”

Garswood Library (Image: Stock)

Garswood resident Phil Topping said: “I've lived here for 50 years and know the value of the library for the inhabitants of Garswood. 

“Children learn a lifelong love of books there, during their nursery sessions. The elderly escape loneliness and isolation in old age by meeting others and can still travel the world through books and their stimulated imagination. Why should this be taken away from so many people for the sake of saving a few pounds by a council so profligate in other areas?”

Mr Topping added: Likewise as the leader of the Garswood Reading Group I stress what a deprivation to us, as a thriving vibrant group of 14 years' standing, the loss of our library would be. The library supplies all our reading material and has done since our inception in March 2010.  They provide us most cheerfully and assiduously with a book to read for each month of the year. They first of all provide us annually with a full list of their titles, bought in sufficient numbers for reading groups.

“We make a selection from those titles which we would like to read over a 12-month period and they provide them with good grace and reliability which saves us purchasing and keeps the library statistically in business.

“Are we really deserving of losing all that; after such mutual support of one another?”

Another resident added: “I'm very upset and very annoyed. I've been walking to Garswood library for 30 years, soon I have to get my car out and drive to Haydock. My eyesight is getting worse, I don't know how many more years I'll be driving for. From being a child I've used libraries.

“There’s a council estate in Garswood, have they all got cars to take their children to a library? I often see children of preschool age in our library with a parent. They aren't going to get the car out to go to Haydock!”