The future of Hove Library at the Carnegie Building on Church Road was secured by the Conservative and Green Groups last night.
The decision was reached following extreme pressure applied by the Labour Administration on their proposals to close the existing Hove Library and move it on to the grounds of Hove Museum.
Opposition councillors from the Green and Conservative Groups submitted a joint amendment to stop the move, which was passed at the Policy, Resources and Growth Committee last night.
The amendment commits the council to keeping all libraries in Brighton and Hove open, while reallocating £100,000 from an unexpected under spend in the 2015/16 council budget to retain the Hove Library service at the Carnegie building.
Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, Leader of the Conservative Group, said: “Despite their political scaremongering and swathes of misinformation to try to force our hand, I am pleased to say that we succeeded in preventing the Labour Administration from bullying councillors and indeed residents into a decision that, as it stands, is simply not the best decision for the City.
“The proposals for Hollingbury Library, which we support, will go ahead and no libraries will close. Indeed many opening times will increase. Our stance on this issue is a victory for the residents of this city and I am proud of the part that the Conservative Group has played.”
Green finance spokesperson Councillor Ollie Sykes, added: “Greens have repeatedly expressed our concern that Labour’s figures on Hove library simply don’t add up. Hove residents were being asked to give up a much-loved community resource on the basis of a misleading and frankly inaccurate business plan.
“Rather than address our genuine concerns with their plan, Labour chose to make impassioned pleas and thinly veiled threats about closing community libraries. That’s why we decided to work across party lines to stop the plans in their tracks, and ensure that all community libraries are protected from closures by the Labour council.”
Conservative Councillor Tony Janio added: “The Labour Administration was given numerous opportunities to make a sound business case as to why the closure of such a well-used and much-loved library that is in a purpose-built building and convenient central location was the best option. Despite this they failed to give credible arguments as to why the council should spend more than what the Grade II listed Carnegie building is likely to achieve on the open market to build an extension on to the gardens that surround Hove Museum.
“As a result we put Party politics to one side and came together with the Greens for the good of the community and have achieved a great result for the people of Brighton and Hove.”
Convenor of the Green group, Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty, said: “This weekend we’ve seen derisory attempts by Labour to bribe or blackmail residents into supporting their proposals, promising an art house cinema on the basis of one backroom conversation, while simultaneously threatening the closure of 7 branch libraries. When Labour finally released the report, it was revealed that use as a cinema would fail to deliver the funds needed to support a move to Hove Museum.
“We know that thousands of Hove residents oppose the sale of Hove Library, and that this will fail to deliver a quality library service. Greens have led the charge to save Hove Library since November and played a key part in securing this deal to ensure that all libraries remain open in the city. This is a victory for Hove residents and the city as a whole.”
Responding to the opposition groups at last night meeting, Leader of the Council, Cllr Warren Morgan, said: “The Government has set us a challenge. Do without the Revenue Support Grant, some 40% of our service funding. It has said, live within your means. Deliver value for money. Modernise and rationalise your services. Be as efficient with taxpayer money as possible.
“Our Libraries Plan does that. We agreed a fixed budget for our libraries in February. We agreed how to spend that budget over a four-year period at full Council in March.
“Within that reduced budget, our officers found a way of delivering a library service in every community that currently has one, with longer opening hours as the public requested.
“We agreed a budget. We agreed modernisation. We agreed value for money. We have answered every question you have posed on the business plan. We’ve agreed and conducted a building survey you requested at a cost of over eight thousand pounds.
“Now, faced with the politically difficult choices that come with that budget, that are a consequence of that plan, we are told no.
“You have said, don’t give us that choice to make. Find the money from somewhere else. You have rejected the reports, options and advice of respected officers.
“Despite accusing the Labour Group of shying away from politically difficult decisions, at the first major test of your responsibility as an opposition, of your financial responsibility, of your commitment to stick to an agreed budget, you have failed.
“We will now, once again, put this decision on hold. We will work with you to somehow find a solution to this issue that does not inevitably lead to the closure of up to seven of our local community libraries. We will do that.
“But don’t ever lecture us again on financial responsibility, or delivering value for money, or on doing what is right for the taxpayer. Don’t ever accuse us again of shying away from what is unpopular, but what needs to be done.”
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