Ellie Ames 05 April 2024

Brum consults on £2.3m library cuts

Brum consults on £2.3m library cuts image
Image: nvphoto / Shutterstock.com

Cash-strapped Birmingham City Council has launched a consultation on how it will cut £2.3m from its library budget.

The local authority, which issued a section 114 notice in September, said the number of community libraries could be cut from 35 to 25.

It has also proposed reduced opening hours, transferring library services to community groups, and expanding libraries at home and mobile provision.

The draft Birmingham Strategic Framework for Library Services 2024-29 says the council has a 'savings requirement' of £1m for 2024-25 and £2.3m for 2025-26.

The council said that 'while savings have been announced, final decisions have not been made on what the library service will look like in the future'.

Birmingham also said there had been a reduction in the number of people visiting libraries since 2014, although demand for digital content was growing.

The Save Birmingham Campaign has said library closures would have ‘devastating impacts’ on residents and has called for assets to be transferred to community ownership.

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