What is happening with Mirfield Library: Mirfield campaigners 'over the moon' that controversial plans for their library have been scrapped
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Kirklees Council had announced it was looking to make eight of the borough’s 24 libraries – Honley, Meltham, Marsden, Kirkheaton, Skelmanthorpe, Denby Dale, Mirfield and Shepley – community-managed and run by volunteers, in a bid to save cash.
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Hide AdThe plans were met with a great deal of backlash from communities across the borough, not least in Mirfield, where volunteers are heavily involved in the running of the library through a Friends of Mirfield Library group.
Chair of the group, Cynthia Collinson, has been vocal against the plans throughout the process, fearing that volunteers did not have the expertise to run a library the size of Mirfield’s, especially in the absence of council staff and funding.
Due to the strength of feeling, a petition was launched, racking up over 3,000 signatures, with the council ultimately abandoning its plans due to the general ‘overwhelming’ public response in opposition.
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Hide AdNow, the local authority has announced a new approach and is looking to reduce the number of its staff working across the entire library network, rather than removing them from the eight libraries completely.
Cynthia described the group as “over the moon” and “absolutely delighted”, upon learning of the news.
“I was just absolutely thrilled,” she said.
“It was what we were hoping for really – to be taken out of the community-managed group and put in the community-supported.
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Hide Ad"We feel like we have got our library back. We were in limbo but we now feel we can make plans for the future.
"We’ve still got challenges but we’re very enthusiastic and will continue doing the best we can for the future of Mirfield Library.”
She added: “I do think the council listened to us. We’ll probably never know whether they took notice of our petition with over 3,000 signatures.
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Hide Ad"Was it our plea to the new leader of the council? Was it the consultation feedback?
“Whatever it was, we can only say thank you to Kirklees Council for listening to our concerns and for taking this action.”
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