Slough Borough Council 'will not close libraries' after strong opposition

Slough ‘will not be closing any libraries,' one of its cabinet members has said – after long-running fears that two of four would be closed for good.

The council has been considering the closures of Langley Library and Cippenham Library over concerns they were ‘not fit for purpose’.

Slough council believed closing Cippenham and Langley libraries could save about £195,000 for the cash-strapped local authority.

But there was a raft of staunch opposition to this idea from various councillors and members of the public. A petition opposing the closures garnered over 2,000 signatures.

At the beginning of the year, chaos reigned at a council meeting when Labour members and ward councillors pushed back against the proposals. The discussion descended into a row.

Now, papers released by Slough council show that its officers recommend saving the two libraries. The cabinet is set to vote on this next Monday (May 19).

The decision follows a public consultation where residents ‘showed their love for libraries’ with a flurry of responses.

There were 1,150 responses to the online survey, of which 86 per cent of people said the closures would have a negative impact on their lives.

More than 50 per cent of those responding had a Langley postcode.

Data shows that Langley Library is ‘clearly the second most in-demand’ after The Curve, though use of Cippenham Library has declined with its reduced opening hours.

Following the consultation response, it is expected that Slough’s cabinet will indeed opt to keep all four libraries open in some fashion.

Within its deliberations, the council will consider whether Cippenham stays in its current building or moves.

Councillor Puja Bedi, lead member for education and children’s services, noted the ‘huge response’ to the consultation.

“We have listened to residents’ views and will not be closing any libraries,” she said.

“There has been a recent upswing in demand for library services, particularly in Langley, and what residents really want is certainty and consistency.”

Slough council has ‘already started scoping ideas’ to keep both libraries open, such as turning to a family or community hub model.

These generally integrate various services, such as health, education, and social care, into a single location.

The current Cippenham library building ‘needs a lot of maintenance work’ and the council needs to see if it is still the best building to use, said Cllr Bedi.

“We have heard from Cippenham residents that they value the community aspect of having the library building, but they want the option of accessing a wider range of services locally,” she said.

Creating a broader hub may involve making changes to the current building or using an alternative – and this avenue ‘needs to be explored more.’

Cippenham Library will remain in its current building unless an alternative is in place, added Cllr Bedi.

The future of the libraries will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on May 19.