Library on the move as part of council cuts

A COMMUNITY library in Byker will be relocated in May amid council cost-cutting plans, it has been confirmed.

The East End Library and Community Hub is being merged into the Shields Road Customer Service Centre as Newcastle City Council slashes its libraries budget by £1.7m.

Concerns were raised this week that the latest changes at the library could spark an exodus of visitors, after a previous reduction in opening hours caused numbers to drop by 84%.

But local authority bosses say they are hopeful they can “encourage a new group of people” to the library and have revealed an estimated moving date for the facility away from its current home alongside the East End Pool.

Deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, Coun Joyce McCarty, said: “We intend to relocate the East End Library and Community Hub to our Shields Road building in late May. We will be able to confirm the exact dates in April after we have agreed the schedule of building work required to enlarge the public floor area at Shields Road.

“Once the building work is complete we will offer a restricted library service for one week while we move stock and shelves from one building to another.

“We are working closely with colleagues from YHN as we want to ensure our services and YHN’s service are available throughout the building work.”

As a result of the move, new gym facilities will be opened at the East End Pool. The library cuts are one part of council efforts to slash £60m from its budget by 2022.