CAMPAIGNERS hope that the planned closures of libraries can be reversed after St Helens Council has reviewed its decision to close six facilities due to a legal challenge.

The council had announced in July that from October 31, 2022, it would no longer run libraries in Billinge, Garswood, Parr, Peter Street, Rainford, and Rainhill.

However, the controversial move proved unpopular in these communities, with many challenging the decision and creating online campaigns to save their local library service.

Following a legal challenge, the council has decided to review the decision on its Library Strategy.

The council says it took legal advice after the request to challenge the decision was made. 

The Star understands that Michael Imperato, of Watkins & Gunn, had made the challenge after being instructed by campaigners.

This was due to a view that the decision made by the council in July was challengeable and that a proper assessment had not been made on the impact of individual library closures on individual communities and vulnerable groups.

 

Rainhill independent councillor Donna Greaves said: “It (the review) has not been done out of the goodness of their hearts, it was a legal challenge by residents and a campaign group.

“They had no choice but to take advice to review what they have done.

“It has come back that they did this reversal and they’re not going to close the library and that they have got to go back and run a proper and fair consultation process.

“It does feel like that had been a tick-in-the-box exercise where they went through the motions of a façade of caring.”

She added: “We hope that it is going to be a full reversal.

“We still have concerns over the locality model, it is not fit for purpose. The outreach model and home service, all of that is not fit for purpose.

“There was no Plan B, it is shoddy from start to finish. Without doubt there is unconscious bias that takes place because we don’t toe the Labour Party line, we are not treated fairly.”

Library user and Rainhill resident Brian Renshall added: “I have always considered the council’s approach to library closures ill thought out, now it looks as if following legal advice, proper procedure and consultation has not been followed out, hence the postponement.

“Let’s hope that this decision is not just a stay of execution and all libraries threatened with closure will remain open.”

Following the announcement of the review, Cllr Anthony Burns, council cabinet member for wellbeing, culture and heritage, said: “We know that libraries are an incredibly emotive subject for many people and the previous decision was not one we took lightly.

"Our vision for library services in our borough is to transform the service and make it fit for the future by taking into account the changing way that people use the service, whether through online or home delivery service. 

“These next steps will make sure that the decision process is even more robust and another opportunity for the public to talk about how they see the service operating and fitting into our modern times.

"This feedback will then inform our Library Strategy implementation plan and help model its delivery.”