Lancashire libraries revamp put on hold amid funding crisis (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Lancashire libraries revamp put on hold amid funding crisis

11:22am Thursday 26th November 2009

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SEVERAL libraries in East Lancashire have been placed in limbo after it was revealed a £935,0000 improvements programme has been put on hold.

Libraries across the county, including Crawshawbooth in Rossendale, have benefitted from refurbishments in two previous phases of Lancashire County Council’s Regenerate programme for the service.

But a halt has been called to the third phase of the upgrade initiative as the county’s new Tory administration grapples with prospective cuts of £142million for 2010-11.

No fewer than six libraries in East Lancashire had made it to the shortlist for the 2009-10 programme.

They were Whitworth, Accrington, Padiham, Brierfield, Pike Hill in Burnley and Longridge.

This year’s budget had just over £400,000 committed to it and another £535,000 was set to be paid out in future years.

County councillor Mike Calvert told a meeting of the Lancashire Local that the anticipated goverment settlement for next year ranged from the ‘tepid’ leaving necessary savings of £79million, to the ‘Arctic’, leaving the £142million bill.

“The Regenerate programme has been suspended while we look at where we can make efficiency savings,” he said.

Coun Calvert said it was “political scaremongering” though to suggest that vital county services would be cut.

Numerous problems have been identified with Accrington’s library, housed in the town’s Carnegie building. Flooding problems have been pinpointed in the basement and dry rot in the upper floor.

Brierfield has no public or disabled toilets and neither does Longridge or Whitworth. Padiham’s dates back to 1900 and is located in the town hall.

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