Library cuts scrapped by council after protest
More than 100 library users and other supporters protested at Dudley Council House in May
At a glance
Libraries will stay open in Dudley and planned budget cuts have been scrapped, a council says
A proposal to save nearly £1.5m by the end of 2026 was approved by Dudley Council in March
The move led to a vocal campaign against the plans, with protesters gathering outside the council house
The council leader said the plans had been dropped as the local authority's financial position was better than expected
- Published
Plans to slash the budget of library and archive services in Dudley have been scrapped and every library will stay open, the council's leader has said.
The move to cut nearly £1.5m by the end of 2026 was approved, and saw opponents campaign against the move.
Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley denied it was a U-turn and said it was due to an improved financial situation.
But Paul Quigley, who led the campaign, said people wanted clarification over the future of the service.
"Our campaign was always to get these cuts removed and protect the service and develop and invest in it in the future. If that's happening, we're pleased," he added.
Campaigners said they wanted more assurance from the council over the future of the library service
Campaigners gathered nearly 3,000 signatures on a petition against the plans and delivered it to the council in May.
On Tuesday, the local authority said the proposed cuts for the library service had been reviewed and removed from savings plans.
The move was not a change of heart from the council but due to its budget situation being slightly better than expected, Mr Harley told BBC Radio WM.
Councils sometimes "have to take unpopular decisions" he said, but added: "If you don't need to do it, then why on earth pursue it."
Council leader Patrick Harley denied the authority had made a U-turn
Research was carried out by the local authority into the social value of its libraries and calculated a figure of £14.8m across 2022-23, external.
The study showed use of the libraries was slowly improving and dropping the cuts was about " safeguarding libraries for future generations", Mr Harley added.
But Mr Quigley, who is also a member of the Unison union, said the research was available before the cuts were approved.
"The social value of libraries is not a new idea that's cropped up since March, all of that was available before," he said.
The decision to remove the savings was "everything to do with the campaign", he added.
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- Published18 May 2023
