Conservatives vote to deprive Southport of its library

11.05.00pm GMT Thu 12th Nov 2009

The Conservatives have voted to deprive Southport of its library service

Conservative members on Sefton Council's ruling Cabinet voted with Labour to close down Southport's main library service for three years.

The Council Cabinet threw out the Liberal Democrat proposal to relocate Southport's town centre library to the town's Market Hall during three years of renovation work on the Arts Centre and Library buildings.

The decision of the Labour and Conservative majority on the Cabinet has been condemned as "disastrous" by Liberal Democrats on the Council.

Despite being the largest party on Sefton Council the Liberal Democrats were outvoted by six to four at Thursday's Cabinet meeting held at Bootle Town Hall. The three Conservative members of the Cabinet, including Councillor Brenda Porter, all voted with the Bootle Labour members. They have not only wrecked Southport's library service for three years, but seriously undermined the long-term prospects of the market.

Work on the £15 million Southport Cultural Centre project means that Southport's town centre library will close for three years while essential refurbishment and modernisation work is carried out on the Arts Centre and Library complex.

Lib Dem Councillor Iain Brodie Browne condemned the decision of the two other parties.

"This is bad news for the library users of Southport and bad news for the market traders," he said.

"Having looked at all the potential site in Southport's town centre, it was clear to us that the only sensible option was to use vacant space towards the rear of Southport's Market Hall."

"As reported in the Visiter in recent weeks there was widespread support for our preferred option. With the prospect of an extra 150,000 visits a year to 'Southport's library within a market' it is hardly surprising that market traders have welcomed the idea wholeheartedly."

"The decision of the Labour/Conservative majority on the Cabinet is disastrous for the people of Southport."