Sheffield City Council have rejected a plan by local residents to keep Burngreave Library open and staffed.
The Council wrote to the Save Burngreave Library Group on 17th September saying the plan they had submitted in July had not been approved, just 10 days before the plan was due to start.
As the situation stands, Burngreave Library staff have been assigned to other jobs in the library service. Users of Burngreave Library held a celebration event in August to thank them for their huge contribution to the area.
The Council said they wish to work with the group, and that they would keep the library open. Cabinet member Councillor Mazher Iqbal, said:
“I am hopeful that further plans can be developed. I'd like local people to know that we will continue running Burngreave Library for an extended period, to allow longer term arrangements to be agreed. This means the service will not be disrupted and I'd urge everyone to visit the library to see what's on offer.”
A spokesperson for the Library Group said,
“We have been discussing our plan with the Council for over 8 months and at the last moment they have rejected it. It's not acceptable. We have the support of local residents for our plan, and we have raised over £12,000 through residents contributions and pledges of funding on the basis that we pay for professional staff time from the Council. We believe this is the only plan that will work and we want the Council to reconsider it.”
Councillor Jackie Drayton has been supporting the group to develop and negotiate the library plan, and said,
“Burngreave's plan was very different to what other libraries had proposed and we are disappointed that it was not judged in its own right. The group still want to work in partnership with the Council to help ensure that Burngreave Library stays open with professional library staff supported by volunteers. Local residents worked very hard to raise money and I will be requesting the plan is reconsidered as soon as possible.”
Save Burngreave Library Group is holding a public meeting on 16th October 4pm at the Vestry Hall.