Library friends group hands petition to councillor

A campaign group fighting for the future of Heckmondwike Library has handed its petition over to the leader of Kirklees Council.
Friends of Heckmondwike Library hand their petition to Kirklees Council leader David Sheard.Friends of Heckmondwike Library hand their petition to Kirklees Council leader David Sheard.
Friends of Heckmondwike Library hand their petition to Kirklees Council leader David Sheard.

A campaign group fighting for the future of Heckmondwike Library has handed its petition over to the leader of Kirklees Council.

Friends of Heckmondwike Library gathered more than 2,300 signatures through meetings and campaigning in the town centre, and passed the petition on to Coun David Sheard (Lab, Heckmondwike).

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Coun Viv Kendrick (Lab, Heckmondwike) said: “I am aware of the petition and I am pleased a lot of people thought it was important enough to take part, but I hope that all of the people involved also responded to the libraries consultation.

“Closing Heckmondwike Library was one of a range of options that the council was considering.

“I hope that people will continue to support this library and libraries elsewhere.”

The next meeting of the friends group will be held at Heckmondwike Library on Tuesday April 14, at 11am, and members will consider ideas for future events.

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The council’s library consultation will conclude on April 10. Anyone interested can take part in the survey at www.kirklees.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/consultation.aspx

•Kirklees Council is in the process of deciding how to make cuts to services in the face of huge reductions to the local authority grant from central government.

•Last summer it outlined possibilities for library services, which included keeping just two libraries open, in Dewsbury and Huddersfield, or having a number of smaller community libraries.

•The council is currently looking for volunteers to take over the running of some aspects of libraries.

•The council has to save £69m over the next three years, which could lead to around 1,000 job losses.

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