Havering Labour urges residents to have their say on possible library closures

Havering’s Labour Councillors have welcomed Jon Cruddas MP’s contribution to the public consultation on Havering’s Libraries.

Speaking on behalf of the Labour Group, Councillor Matt Stanton laid the blame squarely at the door of the government for placing the council in this position, “None of us want to see libraries closed. They are lifelines for our community, not just in terms of access to books, but with all the other organisations and council services that run from those buildings, they are in many ways the center of many communities. What we need is the resources to invest in our library service, not to have to ask every part of the Council to make impossible savings.”

Leader of the Labour Group, Keith Darvill, indicated that each site has got potential for future regeneration and said that, regardless of the outcome of the consultation, the Labour Group would always argue for more services, not less, even if that meant an interruption while a site was regenerated, “Rainham Library is a great example of how this can be done properly, the Council was able to provide additional housing in the heart of Rainham, as well as a brand new library building with even more residential units above. Residents deserve to know that Havering Council has a confident and hopeful vision of the future, with more services not less, and Havering Labour is always going to share that vision.”

Residents have until the 2nd of August to fill in the consultation (here). There will also be in-person consultation events advertised.

Source: The Havering Daily.