Tories table motion opposing Central Library’s ‘eviction’

Opposition Tories have launched a bid to stop the proposed relocation of Central Library from its historic, Grade I-listed home.

Bristol City Council’s Labour administration has suggested the controversial move to another building somewhere in the city centre to save money as part of huge budget cuts.

Conservative group leader and councillor for Henbury & Brentry Mark Weston has now tabled a motion to full council on Tuesday seeking the local authority’s “emphatic opposition” to the library being “evicted” from College Green.

No alternative base has yet been identified publicly and council bosses have said it is “just an idea” being considered among other ways to save £1.4m – about one-third – from the library service’s funding for 2023/24.

Labour cabinet member for communities and Hillfields councillor for Ellie King told a council meeting in November that it could potentially move into the ground floor of the former Debenhams store in Broadmead, although it was not clear whether this was under serious consideration or even possible.

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Read more: ‘Moving Central Library would be an act of violence’

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Weston’s motion said: “This council is disappointed that, once again, the Labour administration seems to be considering or toying with the highly controversial idea of moving the Central Library to another location.

“It is appreciated that this possibility has arisen against a backdrop of having to make substantial budget savings and the need to look at reducing the amount currently being spent on the library service.

“Whilst the proposal forms an element of a wholesale evaluation of our branch libraries, and remains subject to further consultation, council wishes to register at this early stage its emphatic opposition to any reform which threatens the future of our main public lending library or results in it being evicted from its current site.

“Previous attempts, including the leasing/loss of two floors to the Cathedral Primary School under the former mayor George Ferguson, were fiercely opposed and the potential loss of the remaining building would not be acceptable to library users and the wider community.

“The Central Library is already situated in an iconic, purpose-built setting, which is part of Bristol’s cultural heritage.

“Accordingly, council calls on the Mayor to confirm that he will ensure that this ill-conceived relocation plan will not be part of his latest library review.”

The motion is unlikely to be debated because of time constraints.

Moving Bristol Central Library to another “central location” is included among the ideas in a new consultation

City Hall chiefs told scrutiny councillors in November that escalating energy costs meant they no longer had enough money to keep all 27 Bristol libraries open, even without the huge budget shortfall facing the council – between £37.5m and £87.6m from 2023/24 to 2027/28.

Libraries are just a tiny fraction of a raft of proposed cuts totalling £45.7m over the next five years to balance the authority’s books.

They were last threatened with widespread closures in 2018 before Labour mayor Marvin Rees made a U-turn and scrapped the idea amid huge opposition. The budget will be decided by full council next month.

All photos: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Newspapers no longer provided in Bristol Libraries
• Petition launched to save Central Library
• Central Library could move as part of council cuts

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