Libraries City branches saved from cuts after £5m budget protected

LIBRARIES in Bristol are safe from budget cuts next year, according to leading councillors, after concerns they were under threat.

- Alex SEABROOK Local democracy reporter

But the opposition Labour councillors warned some libraries could be still closed despite the promises.

Bristol City Council operates 26 libraries, which have come under increasing pressure given dwindling budgets. In recent years many libraries were sporadically closed for a few hours due to staff shortages, after the former Labour administration rolled out a recruitment freeze.

Next year, the new Green-Lib Dem administration has pledged £5 million for the library service, “protecting the services’ budget in full.”

The Liberal Democrats said they have relieved the staffing issues, so people no longer have to guess whether their library will be open or closed.

Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Williams, chair of the public health and communities policy committee, said: “Libraries are an incredibly important community resource. So many people across Bristol rely on libraries not just for access to a wealth of books and information, but also for their role as community hubs.

“We are constantly working to improve libraries for our communities. I am heading a root-and-branch review to examine how best we can run our library service, and ensure that future generations have access to them too. Making sure that libraries were open reliably for their advertised times was the first step, and developing a vision to get the best out of them is the next.