MP for East Surrey Peter Ainsworth has registered a protest against the planned closure of six Surrey libraries, including Caterham on the Hill.
Writing to Dr Richard Shaw, Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, Peter Ainsworth stated that there had been no apparent attempt to consult the public and library users in particular, in spite of Department for Culture, Media and Sport requirements.
He went on to cite DCMS guidance which appear to rule out closures on financial grounds:
‘DCMS and its Ministers would be concerned where closures stemmed from wholly financial considerations or where the library service appeared to be affected disproportionately by an authority’s need to make savings.’
Commenting, Peter Ainsworth said:
‘The Council have suggested that Caterham Valley library could open later instead but this would be of little, or no, value to people using Caterham-on-the-Hill, especially bearing in mind that the majority are elderly, or parents of young children for whom later opening hours are not a priority.
‘Library closures are a very sensitive issue that arouse strong local feeling. I am surprised that to date no information has been provided about any analysis which may have been undertaken prior to the decision to advocate the closure of Caterham-on-the-Hill Library.
“I have asked the Council to withdraw its proposal at the earliest opportunity.”
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