Shock reductions in library hours

11.10.48pm GMT Thu 22nd Feb 2007

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Alan Oxley (Iver)

Hard on the heels of closing 8 libraries last year, Bucks County Council wants to reduce the opening hours of dozens more.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Alan Oxley has just helped Richings Park library reopen as a volunteer-staffed library, with no help whatsoever from the County Council, but with financial support from South Bucks District Council.

Alan said he was "gobsmacked" that Bucks County Council had learned nothing from the public reaction to 8 library closures last year.

"You would have thought that they must notice how local people want to keep their library open. No explanation has been offered why Marlow library will be cut from 43 hours per week to 42.5 hours but Gerrards Cross library will be cut from 42.5 hours to 29 hours. At the same time an extra £3.6 million is being spent on High Wycombe library. The County Council needs to explain their strategy here before any meaningful public consultation can take place"