500 signatures reached
To: Cllr Susan Barker, Cabinet member responsible for libraries, Essex County Council
Bring Back Debden Library to the Broadway
It's time to bring Debden Library back to the heart of the local community. A return to the Broadway will increase library use, and help to reinvigorate the Broadway. Essex County Council's plan to abandon its statutory duty to run the library and outsource it to New City College has stopped so now is the time to plan a better future
https://www.facebook.com/EppingForestSOLE/
Why is this important?
Local people tell us the library is poorly placed for many of the potential users - we support a move to the Broadway where it could be a true library for the community and
provide much needed support to that local centre.
After a successful campaign involving thousands of Essex residents, Essex County Council (ECC) U-turned on its plans to close a third of its libraries, including Debden Library. However, in its place ECC proposed establishing so-called 'community libraries', where libraries would not just be run by volunteers who would even need to supply the building, with little financial support. This is a closure plan by stealth.
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RJgKuJocWd9h6ylE72C0inYmGBLOgM43/view?fbclid=IwAR3mBwFszgO-PDcYWPMPqydTqsDYoRw29arF_bQA8_2CxsZGd8K07wdmoEM).
Debden Library was the first confirmed takeover bid for an Essex library - the good news is that this plan was withdrawn with no agreement between the New City College and Essex County Council.
Essex County Council are setting up "community libraries" to fail. The lack of groups coming forward reflects this - people are unwilling to take on costs when Essex have a statutory obligation to deliver the service. Communities all contribute towards the universal provision - why should some have to pay again through volunteering and fund raising?
Essex County Council should be led by what the local community wants and continue with its statutory duty to provide a professionally staffed library service on an accessible site.
You can still please sign and share this petition to say we have a more positive vision - a library on the Broadway remaining in the accountable control of the Council.
