Library row may threaten plan for £14m culture hub
PLANS for a new £14m ‘cultural hub’ in Stockport could be put at risk if residents say they don’t want to move the town’s library service there.
Stockport council was awarded the cash for the Merseyway project after making a successful bid to the government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) last year.
A ‘precursor’ facility has been running at the One Stockport Hub since March - with the town’s historic Central Library still shut due to difficulties opening it in a Covid-safe way.
But the prospect of permanently relocating services from the Grade IIlisted Carnegie library on the A6 to a new site at Adlington Walk has sparked fierce opposition in some quarters, including a 7,000-signature petition.
A two-stage consultation is set to launch next week, beginning with a four-week ‘engagement exercise’ to canvas people’s views on what they would like to see at the hub.
But Caroline Simpson, the council’s deputy chief executive, has admitted that the scheme would be at significant risk if the residents reject the relocation of the library services.
Speaking at a council scrutiny meeting, she was responding to chair Coun Oliver Johnstone, who questioned whether the FHSF cash was dependent on the hub including a library and cafe - as per the initial bid.
She said: “We would have to have dialogue with the [government] department.
“I think there would be some risks around really delivering that public space and reuse of retail facilities.
“But it’s not a binary position of what’s in and what’s out. We’ve been allocated the money to deliver a vision, exactly what’s in it is subject to this engagement process.”
But, under further questioning from Coun Johnstone she conceded there was a possibility of losing the money should residents indicate they do not want services to move from Central Library.
“I think there would be a risk that the money may not be there,” she said.
Asked what level of risk the council would be looking at she added: “I think it’s fair to say there would be a big risk.”
Chris Walker, of Be the Best communications who are running the consultation - said it would ultimately be a matter for the government.
“To be one of those candidate areas to go back to talk about a change of the plan would obviously be a sensitive discussion.
“But it would not be our determination as to whether that would be successful,” he said.
Councillors also questioned whether it was clear to the public that creating a ‘21st century library’ meant the probable closure of Central Library.
Coun Colin MacAlister said he was concerned the process could amount to the ‘death of Central Library by stealth’.
“We should be much more open and up front and say - if you want these type of facilities and £14m from central government - then the honest thing to say is then Central Library is at risk.”
He added that, in his opinion, the engagement process was ‘not transparent’.
However Coun David Sedgwick, cabinet member for citizen focus and engagement, rejected claims of a lack of openness.
“I wish to point out, this engagement process we are following best-practice for a consultation,” he said.
“I would say in terms of transparency we have been absolutely transparent on this. If there is room for improvement, absolutely, let’s improve it.
“But I just want to nail that straight away, I think we have been more transparent with everyone.
“If Coun MacAlister has specifics of what he’d like to see, let’s have it - I’m more than happy to include that in the engagement process.”
Public consultation on Stockroom begins with an ‘engagement phase’ on Monday, July 5.
This will include an online survey, direct engagement with community and stakeholder groups and displays in libraries and other public buildings among other measures.
Should there be support for relocating library services, this will be followed by an eight week consultation between August 15 and October 8.
There would then be a further four weeks engagement (October 18 November 12) before a final report goes to cabinet in December.
The extraordinary meeting of the economy and regeneration scrutiny committee was held on June 30.