Wirral Council: Plan to close nine libraries scrapped

Proposals to close nine libraries as part of savings being made by Wirral Council have been scrapped

Proposals to close nine libraries as part of savings being made by Wirral Council have been scrapped.

The local authority, which faces a £32m budget gap, also u-turned on plans to cut back on playgroups, the maintenance of parks, and street cleaning.

The council had previously been close to requesting a government bailout.

Councillors were debating whether to agree a budget put forward by the council's biggest party - Labour - with Green and Liberal Democrat support.

The budget, which will see council tax rise by 4.99% in a move that will cost average households an additional £85 per year, was approved despite Conservative opposition.

Councillor Kathy Hodson, who chairs Wirral's children and education committee, said: "We felt that it was unfair on hard-pressed council tax payers to have to burden another 5% but I think the children's play services have a vital role to play."

Tories accused Labour of "financial mismanagement" that had resulted in the council facing a financial black hole of £32m, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Labour was also criticised over previous projections that showed the council was facing a budget gap of £49m rather than £32m.

Greens leader Pat Cleary said: "Promoting an excessively pessimistic budget gap has inevitably led to heightened and unnecessary stress for staff and residents.

"It is inappropriate for members of the public to be misled about threats to libraries, leisure centres and youth services when members know that such threats no longer apply."

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