Cuts avoidable and unnecessary says Clegg entering libraries row

He claimed that cuts to the library service are “unnecessary and avoidable” at a time when Sheffield Council is planning to spend £2.2m on refurbishing Town Hall meeting rooms, and said the authority should instead “cut back on wasteful spending.”

This comes at a time when just a week remains in a public consultation on planned changes to the central library, 27 community libraries, mobile libraries, archives and local studies services in Sheffield.

The consultation does not specifically mention closing libraries, and does not say how much Sheffield Council is planning to spend on its library service in the coming financial year.

Instead, it asks library users what “accessible facilities they would want in the future and what would be important to them”, such as “what times they would prefer libraries to be open, the quality of facilities currently on offer at the library and other potential uses in the future.”

The closing date for responses is Monday, October 8 and more than 4,300 responses have been received so far.

Two drop-in sessions have also been held, but have proved unpopular, with only “up to a dozen” people visiting Sheffield Town Hall to ask questions.

Mr Clegg said yesterday: “Ecclesall, Totley and Stannington libraries are all within my constituency and I know just what fantastic community assets they are. Closing them is unnecessary and avoidable.

“I have called on the wasteful Labour council to shelve their expensive pet projects in the Town Hall, so that closing our popular local libraries can be ruled out.

“The previous Labour government brought our country to the brink of bankruptcy.

“So at a time when money is scarce, we can least afford council leaders who prioritise spending millions on refurbishing Town Hall meeting rooms over keeping our local libraries open.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Alison Brelsford added: “I hope local people take their opportunity to respond to the consultation.

“Labour councillors have attempted to consult by stealth, hoping local people won’t notice.

“Of course, local people are worried when they hear Labour councillors talk about closing libraries.

“It’s a shame that Labour are playing political games with treasured local assets.”

The current consultation was launched in August, and is being described by Sheffield Council as “the starting point in a far-reaching review of how library services could be shaped, so they attract more users and are affordable for future generations.”

Coun Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for communities, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has so far responded to our call for views on how library services should be shaped in the future.

“We’re pleased with the response so far and hope more people will take part.

“There is still time for people to share their views and ideas with us, so please let us have them.”

He went on: “This review is not about closing libraries. We are reshaping our services and the starting point is not closure.

“However, we cannot rule out that. Depending on the results of the consultation, services could be delivered differently, some developed, others changed or reduced.

“We would like as many ideas as possible on where we can do things differently, more effectively or boost our income as we are dealing with harsher Government cuts to our budget.”

Responses to the questionnaire will be collated after the consultation period ends next Monday. A further consultation will then be held this winter on any firmer proposals that are drawn up.

Public consultation documents are available either online or from libraries within Sheffield.