Wirral Council: Nine libraries face closure by end of October

Campaigners say people "feel betrayed" as they are set to lose a "valued community asset"

Nine libraries are to close as part of savings being made by a council.

Libraries, in Hoylake, Irby, Pensby, Prenton, Wallasey Village, Woodchurch, Higher Bebington, Bromborough and New Ferry, will be shut by the local authority on 30 October as part of £20m cuts, Wirral Council said.

Bromborough Campaigner Ruth Molyneux said people "feel betrayed".

The council said it hoped seven of the libraries could be taken over by community groups or organisations.

A spokeswoman said: "These particular closures follow wider consultation and were part of the council's budget setting process in February 2022."

'Not fair'

Wirral Council is facing a £49m budget deficit and is to officially request an emergency bailout from the government as it battles soaring costs.

The authority said last month it could only provide legally required services.

Seven of the libraries could be saved through community bids from organisations and church and school groups that have been submitted, but Bromborough and New Ferry have no community bids in.

Ms Molyneux, who started a petition to save the library in Bromborough, told councillors: "Bromborough Library and Civic Centre is a much valued community asset. People feel betrayed."

She added: "September has been and gone and Bromborough Civic Centre has not been put into scope for community asset transfer - unlike all other libraries to be closed at the end of this month. This is not fair."

Ms Molyneux and Green Party Councillor Jo Bird sought to get the library designated a warm hub going into the winter but the council rejected this arguing it did not have the funds to operate it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Ms Bird called it a "very disappointing and cold-hearted decision".

Labour Councillor Jean Robinson said the authority was working with other partners to provide possible warm hub spaces in Bromborough.

Fourteen council-run libraries remain open.

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