'Visit before you axe' plea to councillors as campaigners try to save Woodston Library in Peterborough

Residents battling to save a Peterborough library have invited every city councillor to come and visit the site this weekend – so they can see the facility in action before deciding on whether to close it.

The Friends of Woodston Library have been fighting to save the library for several months, after news it was on a list of assets the council could sell.

Seven of 10 city libraries under threat

Now, as the council’s budget consultation has come to an end, and the next stage of the authority’s bid to balance the books begins, the campaigners are continuing their bid to keep the library open.

The consultation proposed severe cuts to many community facilities including the closure of seven out of ten libraries in the city, mothballing the Lido and reducing Museum opening hours.

All 60 city councillors have been invited to attend the library on Saturday (January 18).

“We don’t know how many Councillors will visit but feel it is important they have the chance ahead of their vote"

Jennie Storey, from the Friends of Woodston Library, said: “Many Councillors may not have had the opportunity to visit our much-loved community library before, so we are inviting them to visit during one of our community events and see for themselves what the building and the library provides and has the potential to offer for the future.”

“We don’t know how many Councillors will visit but feel it is important they have the chance ahead of their vote that could close our library. We are also concerned the consultation process was limited - it was mainly online, at a time when many people are facing data poverty and do not have access to computers or use social media.

"In addition our group was not approached as a key stakeholder and there wasn’t even a poster in the Library to publicise the consultation.”

A petition with scores of names was handed in to the council late last year, as part of the campaign.

“Woodston Library faces a double challenge”

Andy Coles, from the Friends of Woodston Library, added: “It is worth highlighting that Woodston Library faces a double challenge as it is still under threat of closure as part of the Council’s community asset review, as well as this more recent budget consultation.

"We have asked the Council and Councillors to include the petition we presented last month at their Full Council meeting to save Woodston Library, to be included in this consultation process.”

He added: “This year marks the 175th anniversary of when the Public Libraries Act was introduced - the first legislative step to create an enduring national institution providing universal free access to information and literature and supporting the moral, social and educational needs of people. We should be celebrating this milestone rather than seeing this well-loved building condemned.”

The invitation has also been extended to the local MP Sam Carling and the known prospective candidates for the combined Cambridgeshire and Peterborough authority’s Mayoral election – Dr Nik Johnson and Paul Bristow.