My daughter is now 8 and has loved going to library since she was a baby. The library was basically my children’s centre. It was a haven, I could sit and breastfeed in peace around other parents. I could take the buggy into the toilet with me if I needed a wee. She could crawl around and touch the colourful artwork specially created with children in mind… dress up..ride the squishy caterpillar… do singing with other tots.
It felt safe and relevant. I didn’t actually get chance to read much when she was that age and now I am a mum and a Councillor I get virtually no time. But tomorrow, if it’s wet our plan is to go to her favourite indoor space, our library and then on to the museum to try on African clothes.
Our Labour plan to save libraries at a time of colossal government cuts that are part of a vibrant network of civic and community spaces around the city depends on moving Hove Library out of it’s current building which whilst beautiful, is a very traditional space and expensive to staff and maintain to a beautiful purpose built extension at Hove Museum. Making a lovely space for people to go and visit with a cafe and outdoor space. Somewhere I know I would take my daughter to and I believe would be a really lovely facility for Hove.
This way we can save all the smaller libraries across the city from cuts.
The Greens opposed this plan from the start purely because of the building. This beggars belief. At a time when our budget is being slashed by £20m per year, the Green party has put a listed building (which whatever happens to it will be preserved because the listing applies both inside and outside the building) ahead of jobs and services for ALL neighbourhoods.
At a time when so many are so vulnerable from cuts, and need their branch libraries for computer access and services to help them save money by being digitally included. The Green’s priority is preserve this library in aspic.
The deputy leader of the Greens said, when we won the election, that they looked forward to causing our administration, havoc. As usual, its the public that suffer when politicians put political advantage and not residents first. And it won’t affect the better off people in central Brighton and Hove but once again risks services for less affluent and central neighbourhoods.
It’s rare I criticise the Greens because I still hope that we can work more positively together even if there are issues we disagree on. There is much that I hope we can work on together, personally I enjoy work with Cllr Littman on refugee issues for example. But their campaign to “Save Hove Library” has been disingenuous and misled the public that the library would close rather than the reality which is moving to a brand new home near to it’s current location. They have endorsed a campaign by a former Green Councillor which has targeted in a vile way a single council officer and reveled in childish and personal nasty behaviour to Labour Councillor, Tom Bewick and they have failed to stop this behaviour or even question it.
Which means ironically, given where the cuts to councils are coming from, that the local Conservatives, are your only hope to save your branch libraries and have this new project which secures the future of both Hove Library and Hove Museum and your branch libraries.
Our plan is reasonable, positive and protects services at a time of severe funding cuts. Not only protects them but will provide a modern library space relevant to how people use them now… 300 yards from it’s current location.
REMEMBER – Results of the public consultation were in favour of this proposal, ensure your councillor listens to you and saves our library service for the whole city, not just a few.
You can find your councillor here
You can email your MPs here:
Simon Kirby (Kemptown) simon.kirby.mp@parliament.uk
Caroline Lucas (Pavilion) brightonoffice@parliament.uk
Peter Kyle (Hove) peterkylelabour@gmail.com
CllrEmmaBlogs 
Oh dear. If you read what I’ve written about Hove Library our issue is less with the building (though I do think Labour absolutely doesn’t recognise the strength of feeling there) and more that you’ve simply got the figures wrong. It’s clear in the detail of council papers that a large chunk of the revenue savings you attribute solely to the Hove Library move would (and are) in fact happening anyway. So, frankly, we’ve been misled over the past eight months. Give us a clear, open, factual case and we can have a proper discussion. And visit Hove Library. It’s always busy!
Good – I am relieved you will put jobs and services before buildings. I appreciate the response very much.