Call for public input as library faces closure (From The Northern Echo)

Call for public input as Cockerton Library faces closure

1:10pm Thursday 8th December 2011 in Darlington By Paul Cook

UNDER THREAT: Cockerton Library

EIGHT councillors from three different wards are asking for public input into what could be the final chapter of a village library.

A public meeting will be held for the 10,000 users of Cockerton library to give their views about the potential closure of the facility because of council cuts.

Darlington Borough Council has proposed to close the library to save £100,000 per year as part of its multi-million pound savings following the reduction in Government grants. It would subsequently sell the building, which was opened in September 1970.

Although the council is running a public consultation exercise to discuss the various cuts, councillors from Cockerton West, Cockerton East and Pierremont have decided to hold their own public meeting to gauge the view of residents and library users.

Jan Cossins, Cockerton West councillor, said: "Obviously we do not want any of these cuts. We did not become councillors to close things.

"Personally I do not want it to close. My grandson goes to Cockerton School and they use the library. We are holding the meeting to gauge the public feeling."

Suggestions have been made that friends groups or community partnerships could help run the library.

Coun Cossins, whose daughter is a librarian in Manchester, believes that could only be a last resort.

She said: "The thought of getting staff back as volunteers sticks in the throat. If push came to shove that is what we would hopefully do.

"But you still need a professional librarian to run a library."

Councillor Linda Hughes, from Pierremont, said the meeting had been called following residents' requests.

She added: "The calls I am getting from people, right across the town not just in the three wards, is they want a library service in Cockerton. A lot of people use the library and then the shops."

Council data shows that 10,000 people used the library last year. Of those, 4,385 lived within ten minutes walk. The analysis showed 95 per cent of those would still be able to access the main library via public transport.

A council spokeswoman said: "If the library does close, the council will continue to provide a comprehensive library service from Crown Street and the mobile library, which operates across the borough.

"It would be anticipated that the mobile library would spend more time in the Cockerton area, if the library were to close. It is important to stress, however, that no decision has yet been taken on this or any other budget proposal."

The public meeting will take place next Thursday, at 6.30pm in Cockerton Methodist Church Hall.