‘City of culture’ cuts library hours
Opposition councillors have criticised cuts to libraries in Hull as it prepares to be City of Culture 2017.
Cash-strapped Labour run Hull Council has agreed to reduce opening hours, including those of popular Central Library, which will close on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons from March. Holderness Road library, which had faced closure, will now close two days a week.
Liberal Democrats said the £386,000 spent on buying new offices at Pacific Exchange would have been better invested in the service. Coun Terry Geraghty said they had only closed one library previously - and they had put £60,000 into that. He said: “We are keeping them open in the hope that we have a Government in May which will be more sympathetic to local government.”