Campaigners have been given a glimmer of hope after Labour councillors - who hold a majority on Nottingham City Council - were said to have pledged to save three at-threat Nottingham libraries. It comes after the Labour Group were said to have held a meeting to discuss the future of the Basford, Aspley and the Radford-Lenton libraries at Loxley House on Monday evening (November 7).
Crucially, a firm decision is still to be made by the city council's executive board. But campaigners who have been fighting long and hard to keep the libraries open declared a small victory on Monday night, saying "we won" as the Labour Group were said to have pledged support to keeping the libraries open.
"In a close vote at Nottingham Labour group councillors voted to keep all three libraries open," the Save Nottingham Libraries said in a tweet. "Libraries are a precious gift from a previous generation and we must always be vigilant. But for now the immediate danger has passed."
Campaigners from the group gathered outside the city council's Loxley House headquarters at around 6pm on Monday (November 7) in a last-ditch bid to make their voices heard. Before the meeting, the group said they believed a decision could be made over the future of the libraries.
It was initially understood the savings from closing Basford, Aspley and the Radford-Lenton libraries would total £233,000, to be phased over three years between 2021 and 2024. It is since come to light however the phasing has already provided a saving of £154,000 to date, which has been achieved by a "restructure of frontline services", and shutting the three sites would only save the remaining £79,000.
The delays to the opening of the new central library, as well as costs of transport to get from a deprived area to a nearby library, were raised as "serious concerns" by a number of national, local and campaign groups in the consultation. And the implications of the cuts could have also meant Nottingham City Council was "less well positioned to apply for additional funding", the Arts Council for England had said.
The city council recently detailed five options to save the libraries from closure, but concerns were then raised after councillors argued the authority was providing a network of libraries which meet the needs of the city's citizens. Campaigners also called for the libraries to be used as "warm havens" this year.
Despite the Labour Group declaring their position and view on the libraries, campaigners who gathered outside Loxley House spoke of their worries in the event the libraries are still forced to close.
Chris Cook Cann, a former librarian, said: "We want to save all three libraries, they're all important. We've heard rumours that some might be saved but not all. They're all in areas that need them desperately."
Retired Chris Newton, 66, said: "It's an abomination if it does go through. It could end up with some councillors not getting back on next year. It depends on the feeling in some of the areas where the libraries are closed."
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