The feedback on the Budget Consultation is in and just as we thought, the message that you have sent back to Walsall’s Tories is conclusive; “Keep your hands off our Libraries!”

It will be interesting to see how Mike Bird’s Tories respond to this in the debate on the 2016/17 Budget when it takes place in late February.

When the consultation began back in the autumn the Leader of Walsall Council said that he had no doubt that libraries would have to close. In support of his leader the cabinet member responsible for libraries added that he wasn’t interested in petitions. The only way that libraries threatened with closure (that includes the one in New Invention and the mobile library service that serves Short Heath) would escape would be if sufficient volunteers would step forward to take on some of the work involved. Things still looked bleak at last Monday’s Full Council meeting during question time.

Liberal Democrats on Walsall Council have always made a stand when it comes to libraries. “From our point of view they are not just places where people exchange books” said Lib Dem FOCUS Team Leader Cllr Ian Shires. “It is clear that as far as the seven smaller libraries are concerned the best the Tories can offer is to reduce their status to just that, nothing more than book exchanges. Then what happens to all the other activities which go under the same roof?”

As the arguments hot up the Liberal Democrats have said no matter what the other groups on the council want to do on this issue, closing libraries is a red line we will not cross. We are preparing an alternative to the Tories budget, one which will show that libraries can survive in their rightful place at the heart of our communities.

Council Tax payers in Walsall should be reminded why this issue is on the agenda at all. Following last year’s elections the three UKIP councillors combined with two of the Independents with the third Independent adding his weight by abstaining and allowed the Tories to take all of the places on the all powerful Cabinet. The Lib Dems and Labour voted against but were one vote short of stopping them. The rest is history. UKIP and the Independents need reminding of their folly when people cast their votes this May in the Local Elections!