Labour Wakefield Council breaks it's promise - Library funding ended - Library to close in July

It was reported in 2012 that the campaign to save Crofton Library has succeeded in it's objective to designate the Community Library as a "Hub Library" which would be saved an given investment. In 2014 however Wakefield Council as part of cut-backs broke it's promise and cut the £45,000 salary funding for the Library. The Decision was the report noted justifiable because the Library was part of Crofton Academy School and "may not" close.
This month Crofton Academy will decide whether to allow the Community Library to continue as a Community run local Library staffed by volunteer Librarians or to close the Library for good. The funding will end in July.
On May 6th Crofton Parish Council called an emergency Public Meeting to seek public support to keep the Library open as a Community Library. A further meeting will be held on May 21st at 6pm in the Parish Centre to seek further volunteers to join the 20+ who have signed up to work a rota to keep the Library open.

Crofton Library

Your local library is in danger.

Please help save it if only for your children, parents and our neighbours who find our library a lifeline.

20 residents are going to try and save our Library.  They are meeting in the Parish Centre on  Wednesday 21 May at 6.00 pm. We need more so do please attend if you want our Library to continue.

(If you cannot attend but want to help please contact Simon Bennett bennett.simon@btinternet.com)

In the meantime we have to

USE IT OR LOSE IT

So if you are not already a Library member do please register at the Library and borrow a book. If we do not act now it will go this July.

Supported by Crofton Parish Council

Crofton Library Saved !

A big thank-you to Crofton Residents, Councillors, the Friends of Crofton Library and those who signed the online petition.

This afternoon Wakefield Council has published a report which has added Crofton Library to the list of 14 Hub Libraries which will be secured and will safeguard the Library into the future, as well as a share of the £100,000 fund to improve books, computers and including e-books and Wi-fi.

Full details of the Council press release can be found at:


http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/News/PressReleases/news/PR3710.htm

Full report here

I am delighted that this change has been made as in 2011 Crofton was not included in the list of Hub Libraries and therefore faced being turned into a satellite library to be run by volunteers or put into private hands.

A great Victory for people power in Crofton and many thanks to everyone and particularly the reporters on the Wakefield Express for bringing the information about the threat to our library to public attention.

Jonathan Pile

Pressure on Council to secure Crofton Library's Future

Thanks to the local campaign by the Friends of Crofton Library, pressure has been building on Council Officials to safeguard Crofton Community Library's Future.

By lobbying councillors, the Council Leader, Library Services Director and articles like the following in the Wakefield Express

E-petition to help save village library

Published on Wednesday 11 July 2012 15:50 Wakefield Express 
 

AN author has launched a campaign to save his village library.

Wakefield Council will meet at the end of the month to determine the future of Crofton Community library.
The library - which serves 6,000 people and four schools - could be axed as part of a council savings review of more than half a million pounds.
And now author and Crofton resident Jonathan Pile wanst people to invites people to sign an e-petition to save the library from clousres
Mr Pile said: “This is one of the most well loved, best run and cost effective local libraries in the country.
“As a local author - I have personally found the library a brilliant local hub of information which I feel the community will sadly miss.”
The petition has already been backed and signed by all of Crofton’s local councillors.
Mr Pile said: “Hopefully the library will be saved but we want to get as many people to sign the petition as possible.”

So far we have achieved the following:

1. All of our local Councilors have signed the online petition to save the Library
2. Crofton Councillor Maureen Cummings has committed herself to keep the Library open
3. Lisa Mayne Dodd - Wakefield Service Director for Culture and Sport has told FOCL that  " I would like to reassure you that at the present time there are no proposals to close any libraries in Wakefield.  It is true that there is a proposal that the Council cease to run certain facilities within the District but not library services per se, and we are seeking to find alternative service solutions within those areas which meet the needs of those individual communities.Organisations have already shown interest in potentially delivering services themselves, and it may be that some of these organisations take over the running of libraries or offer library provision in another location.  Alternatively the consultation among the broader public may highlight a preference for other types of services, such as mobile provision, a network of pick up and drop off points, a paid for home delivery service, and e-reader and e-book loan service, to name but a few. 
4. So far Councillors have said in cryptic terms what they are not going to do, we will only find out what they intend to do on JULY 23rd when the Library Report will be made but other Libraries feel equally threatened including Allwoodley Library
5. Decision Day will be on July 31st - but councillors will be voting on the Future of Crofton Library in the knowledge that the whole of Crofton is aware of the threat to Library Services.

THE STEALTH PRIVATISATION AGENDA?

Reading between the lines - Wakefield Council may be considering the privatisation of the Library Services at Crofton and elsewhere - which is something  which has happened elsewhere in the UK with a corresponding loss of public service.

 VOTE TO SAVE THE LIBRARY

Click Here to support the petition

The Future of Crofton Library - Decision due July 31st

Following the launch of our online e-petition, and emails to Councillors Cummings, Manifield and Heptinstall along with emails to Smoke Signal, Council Leader Peter Box and the Wakefield Express we have received information that a decision about the future of Crofton Library will be made a council meeting on July 31st following the submission of a report which will recommend changes.

I glad to say that all our local councillors have voted in the e-petition and supported the statement

"We, the undersigned call on Wakefield Council not to close Crofton Community Library" 

Crofton Library Saved?

While we have been given very positive assurances in an email today from Councillor Cummings concerning the fate of our Library (until the Council Votes on the future of the Library nothing is guaranteed) we would urge Crofton Residents to vote in the free online e-petition to underline the value the community puts on the work the Community Library does for the Schools and Community.

I am glad to report in the email  that the councillors write "that there is no truth whatsoever in the rumour that the Library will close in August 2012" and they are hopeful that the new business plan will be accepted on the 31st.


This is Good News and it shows that local residents can make a difference when they lobby local government especially when an absence of  information erodes public confidence in the future of local infrastructure.

Yet the threat of closure was no mere rumour, Crofton Library like many others in the area have been blighted since the commissioning of the 2011 Dagger Report (an appropriately named report after Councillor Dagger which cast a shadow over their future - Crofton was not considered worthy of "Hub status")


Is the threat over? -  it is clear that behind the scenes and out of sight of Crofton residents much hard work has been done to save our Library. It is still not clear what cuts and cost savings however have been made to service provision , whether the service will pass into private hands (perhaps Crofton Academy?) and the council may still reject the report's recommendations.

We hope the councillors are right and lets hope for a bright future for the library, which occupies the site of the School which educated the likes of the Bronte Sisters.

What would the Bronte's think?

 
But to be on the safe side lets keep up the pressure on the council to do the right thing by Crofton.

Consider the proposition - we often don't realise the value of something until it is taken away from us.



Don't let our Library Close - please vote.

Save Crofton Library | Online Petition

Don't let this happen - Vote for it, use it or lose it !

Crofton Library under threat of Closure July 2012

Wakefield Council is planning to close Libraries as part of a £571,000 savings review and Crofton's brilliant Community Library which serves the needs of the community of Crofton, including three local schools and it's 6,000 people is under threat.
As part of a stealthy Library Review which has been creeping forwards the cover of Zero publicity, the Council is now meeting in July 2012 to consider it's report on Crofton Libary's Future.

Closing Libraries is unpopular

Library employees and helpers will soon find out the decision which looks like a done deal.

Implementation will start in August 2012 , so children at Crofton's four Schools could suddenly return to School in September and find their loved Community Library closed.

Please join the campaign to safeguard Crofton Library by supporting friends of Crofton Library.

As a local Author - I have personally found the Library a brilliant local hub of information and learning which I feel the community will sadly miss.

Don't forget that Crofton has a proud heritage with links to the Bronte Sisters  who were educated at Crofton Hall School.

To support our e-petition

"We, the undersigned call on Wakefield Council not to close Crofton Community Library"


Save Crofton Library | Online Petition


Thanks for your time and lets hope Wakefield Council don't close our library !

PS I have just written to local councillors to ask about what is being done to save the Library

Dear Faith Heptinstall, Albert Manifield and Maureen Cummings,

I am a local Crofton resident, local author and user of our brilliant Crofton Community Library and am shocked to learn that it is under threat of imminent closure in August 2012.

This one of the most well loved, best run and cost effective local libraries in the country.

Could I please ask you to make representations to Wakefield Council to stop the closure of the library and keep it open for the 6,000 residents and 4 local schools it serves.

If you would please support our online petition, or visit our campaign website

at http://friendsofcroftonlibrary.blogspot.co.uk


Yours sincerely,


Jonathan Pile

Jonathan Pile

Email your concern to : libraryconsultation@wakefield.gov.uk  or editorial@wakefieldexpress.co.uk

or Contact me on : 07825 164501    email: savecroftonlibrary@gmail.com

Background Information

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Libraries/LibraryReview/default.htm