Conservative Town Councillors have called for cross party support as they enter negotiations to save Sutton Coldfield Library from Labour Cuts.
The Conservative Group have voted in favour of an amendment that will allocate up to £150,000 towards retaining a library service in the Town Centre. The amendment also allows Town Councillors to negotiate with Birmingham City Council over the future of the threatened site.
Conservative Town Councillors Pears, Ward and Mackey will now begin to meet with Birmingham Council to attempt to find a long-term future for library services
The Amendment was agreed despite opposition councillors voting against it, a move that many fear could harm future negotiations.
Speaking after the meeting Councillor Mackey, who’s Trinity Ward the threatened library sits in, said “I think that we now have a real chance, not just to save our library, but to ensure that it has a long-term future. The town council is willing to allocate some funding towards the project but the Labour City Council must work with us to formulate a workable plan. We have seen political games being played within the Town and City council over this issue recently. Now is the time to come together and get a deal that secures our library for future generations.”
The amendment that was presented can be found below
“This Council has previously expressed support for the retention of a modernized library service within Sutton Coldfield town centre. Neither a location nor funding have yet been secured. In a recent conversation between Birmingham City Council and Cllr Ewan Mackey it was stated that £360,000 was required to keep Sutton Town Centre Library open. This Council therefore resolves to consider the allocation of up to £150,000 from the unallocated portion of its 2016/17 budget, to use if necessary to support the continued provision of a library service in the town centre after 1 April 2017 and for Cllrs Pears, Mackey and S Ward to meet with the Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council & relevant officers in the soonest mutually convenient time to enable a long-term solution to be finalised.”