Opposition Tories have launched a bid to stop the proposed relocation of Central Library from its historic, Grade I-listed home. Bristol City Council’s Labour administration has suggested the controversial move to another building somewhere in the city centre to save money as part of huge budget cuts.
Conservative group leader Cllr Mark Weston has now tabled a motion to full council on Tuesday (January 10) seeking the local authority’s “emphatic opposition” to the library being “evicted” from College Green. No alternative base has yet been identified publicly and council bosses have said it is “just an idea” being considered among other ways to save £1.4million – about one-third – from the library service’s funding for 2023/24.
Labour cabinet member for communities Cllr Ellie King told a council meeting in November that it could potentially move into the ground floor of the former Debenhams store in Broadmead, although it was not clear whether this was under serious consideration or even possible. Cllr Weston’s motion said: “This council is disappointed that, once again, the Labour administration seems to be considering or toying with the highly controversial idea of moving the Central Library to another location.
Read more: Central library could relocate to save Bristol City Council millions
“It is appreciated that this possibility has arisen against a backdrop of having to make substantial budget savings and the need to look at reducing the amount currently being spent on the library service. Whilst the proposal forms an element of a wholesale evaluation of our branch libraries, and remains subject to further consultation, council wishes to register at this early stage its emphatic opposition to any reform which threatens the future of our main public lending library or results in it being evicted from its current site.
“Previous attempts, including the leasing/loss of two floors to the Cathedral Primary School under the former Mayor George Ferguson, were fiercely opposed and the potential loss of the remaining building would not be acceptable to library users and the wider community. The Central Library is already situated in an iconic, purpose-built setting, which is part of Bristol’s cultural heritage.
“Accordingly, council calls on the Mayor to confirm that he will ensure that this ill-conceived relocation plan will not be part of his latest library review.” The motion is unlikely to be debated because of time constraints.
City Hall chiefs told scrutiny councillors in November that escalating energy costs meant they no longer had enough money to keep all 27 Bristol libraries open, even without the huge budget shortfall facing the council – between £37.5million and £87.6million from 2023/24 to 2027/28. Libraries are just a tiny fraction of a raft of proposed cuts totalling £45.7million over the next five years to balance the authority’s books.
They were last threatened with widespread closures in 2018 before Labour mayor Marvin Rees made a U-turn and scrapped the idea amid huge opposition. The budget will be decided by full council next month.
Read next:
Bristol's Central Library could move to former Debenhams building, say council chiefs
Bristol City Council could face £88m shortfall by 2027, report reveals
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