Library action group backs top-up proposal between Bollington Town Council and Cheshire East Council

By Alex Greensmith

9th Aug 2024 | Local News

Friends of Bollington Library, outside a recent Cheshire East Council meeting in Macclesfield. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)
Friends of Bollington Library, outside a recent Cheshire East Council meeting in Macclesfield. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

A campaign group concerned about Bollington Library has responded to the newly-launched consultation.

Earlier this week, Macclesfield Nub News reported that Bollington Town Council and Cheshire East Council could co-fund Bollington Library's hours of operation, to prevent a reduction of service.

And today, Friends of Bollington Library, who has raised concerns over the Library's uncertain future, and previously feared it could close, has responded to the just-launched consultation.

Nigel Maccartney, Treasurer for Friends of Bollington Library, and a Bollington Town Councillor himself said: "Friends of Bollington Library campaigners back proposal to keep Library's hours as they are."

The consultation shuts on September 15.

The Cheshire East Council consultation can be found online.

"Cheshire East Council launched its latest consultation on the Library Service on Tuesday," added Friends of Bollington Library.

"It has dropped the original plan to close four libraries in the north of the borough in favour of reducing the opening hours of Alderley Edge, Bollington, Disley and Handforth to just 1½ days per week.

"Bollington Town Council's working group on libraries has met with the Cheshire East officers and offered to contribute to the cost of keeping the library open on its present hours, subject to final agreement by the full Council.

The current opening hours of Bollington Library could stay the same.

"The Friends of Bollington Library, who have campaigned vigorously for three months to keep the town's Library open, welcomed and strongly supported the proposal."

"Cheshire East is also consulting on its libraries strategy which emphasises the value of the public library service to all, but, in particular to children's literacy; Bollington Library has one of Cheshire East's strongest provision to children, lending more books per head of population to children than any other library in the borough."

Should the consultation proposal proceed, Bollington Town Council would fund 16.5 hours of Bollington Library's operation, to Cheshire East Council's 16 hours.

Friends of Bollington Library Chair, Sandy Milsom said "Our campaigning has brought the community together to avert the closure of the Library; we are confident that we can make the case both to local residents and to the Town Council at its meeting on 3rd September for adopting the recommendation".

Paper copies of the consultation are also available at Bollington Library.

     

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