Fulwood library is due to shut at the end of September Pic: Google
Proposals to shut more than 100 libraries and community buildings across Lancashire – including Fulwood library – are temporarily stalled.
Lancashire County Council has been told to ‘think again’ about the plans it say will save millions of pounds a year.
A meeting of the county council’s scrutiny committee said the property strategy, which earmarks which buildings are to be closed and sold off, should be debated again.
The county council’s cabinet is to meet on Monday (26 September) at 10am to consider whether to ‘affirm, amend or rescind the decision’.
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Campaigners fighting to save many of the buildings think the cutbacks are unfair, with Fulwood Library being one of the buildings with a fierce campaign to save it from closure.
Jane Porter, who addressed the scrutiny committee, said: “Will the opening hours of Sharoe Green library be increased from 30 hours at present to the 46 hours provided by Fulwood library to accommodate the influx of their share of the 50,000 visitors who used Fulwood library last year?
“If someone owned six shops in the Preston area and for lack of cashflow had to close one, which one would they choose to shut? They would not shut the one with the second highest footfall or turnover.”
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Figures from the county council’s documents show Fulwood had 47,017 visits in the 2015-2016 financial year, compared to 21,143 at Ribbleton library – the lowest in Preston.”
Wyre and Preston North MP Ben Wallace has requested the culture secretary investigate the county council’s plans regarding Fulwood library.
Do you use the library? What do you think about closure plans? Let us know in the comments below