'Cynical' library petition sparks row at council

COUNCILLORS clashed over a 4,600-name petition by opposition Labour to "save Bristol's libraries".

- ADAM POSTANS Local Democracy Reporter

The Green-led administration, backed by Lib Dems and Conservatives, accused the opposition group of "scaremongering" and "propaganda" and insisted the service was not under threat after announcing previously that the budget would not be cut next year.

Labour said that despite this, no one in charge had met its challenge of promising that no branches would be shut as part of a major ongoing review into the future of the city's libraries.

Presenting the petition at a Bristol City Council meeting last week, Labour group leader Cllr Tom Renhard said the ruling groups had initially proposed to cut funding by more than half - £2.4 million from the £4.7m pot - for the service but had backtracked after it mounted a campaign.

He said: "I don't begrudge the difficult decisions local leaders had to take.

"As far back as 2017, when Labour were staring down the barrel of a major financial deficit resulting from previous financial mismanagement, there were no easy answers. In Bristol, Labour did all it could to make ends meet.

"At the point we left office in May 2024, we had delivered eight balanced budgets, and we still had 27 libraries in the city - having kept them all open.

"A proud achievement and not one that had been easy to accomplish.