Councillors in appeal to spare libraries from cuts

COUNCILLORS have pleaded for libraries to be spared from the next round of cuts.

A little over a year on from the last attack on Kirklees’ library service, plans to shave another £1.9m from its budget have been made.

Despite a hard-fought campaign by book lovers, Kirklees Council slashed the libraries budget from £5.7m to £3.9m in 2016/17.

It closed just two of its 26 branches last year but ceased funding a further 14, handing them over to community groups and volunteers to run.

But libraries that were saved only a year ago could now be under threat again.

Clr Liz Smaje asked the ruling cabinet: “Why are you once again coming back for libraries when it’s already been through so much change?

“£1.9m is such a big figure – it’s a kick in the teeth.

“What exactly are you proposing?”

Clr Smaje was not given details of which libraries would be targeted, but Clr Graham Turner, cabinet member for resources, defended the plan.

“I would still challenge anyone to find anywhere in the country that only closed two libraries,” he said.

Clr Charles Greaves urged the cabinet to try to reduce the pain to £1.4m but said asking for any more than that would be “absurd” considering the level of cuts across the board.