Labour's Library Let-Down

11.08.10am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 20th Mar 2007

Our Libraries are under threat with Labour in charge

Library users all over Lambeth are calling for urgent investment in Lambeth's crumbling libraries following the shock loss of one of the borough's two stars under the Audit Commission's review of Lambeth services.

The loss of the vital star, which now places Lambeth bottom out of the 32 London Boroughs, was directly attributable to Labour's widely condemned policy between 1998-2002 of closing libraries. Soon afterwards the Government made library provision near to where everyone lives a key indicator.

Prominent community leaders in the North of Borough are now said to be in despair that Waterloo has been without a permanent library building since 1965 - that's over forty years! Despite a £35,000 feasibility study for a new library commissioned by the Lib Dem administration in 2004/5 and a great deal of work by local partnerships, no permanent library is currently on the cards under Labour's new administration.

Labour also scrapped Clapham Park and Streatham Vale libraries in their infamous library streamlining scheme and even more were planned to go until a vigorous and vocal campaign to save them saw the Durning at Kennington saved, as well as the South Lambeth at Vauxhall and the beloved Carnegie at Herne Hill.

Lib Dem councillors in Streatham have now called for a brand new library to replace the wholly inadequate building bequeathed to the area by sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate in 1890. This popular library simply does not have the space to expand without major work and may need millions of pounds spending on overdue repairs and maintenance.

Labour promised to invest in the libraries they didn't close but that simply didn't happen

There is growing concern that Labour is once again failing to invest in the future of libraries in Lambeth.

Councillor Diana Braithwaite, a Lib Dem councillor for Bishops ward, complained "It is nothing short of a disgrace that we may soon have the dubious distinction of 'celebrating' 50 years without a permanent library in the Waterloo area. Just when we thought we were getting close, Labour has once again pulled the rug from under local people"

Lib Dem Cllr Julian Heather who represents Streatham Wells ward said, "Things are no better in the south of the borough. Two of our libraries were closed under Labour and the remaining one is inadequate for the task. And every time Labour comes to power they cut the book fund. Welcoming modern libraries are vital learning centres for our young people who have, once again, been utterly failed under Labour."