A TORY Cllr has seen red after Labour Cllrs. celebrated the opening of the new-look Culcheth Village Library following investment and refurbishment by Warrington Borough Council.
While local Labour party activists blamed Tory Government austerity for almost bringing about the closure of the community facility, local Conservative Borough Cllr Wendy Maisey said it was “deeply saddening,” to see Labour Parish Councillors “politicising a great community achievement like this” in her ward.
She accused them of turning a blind eye to a “flawed consultation” and almost allowing cherished village services to be shut, with only the sheer force of the backlash from local residents forcing them to do u-turn.
Culcheth Village Library reopened on Saturday, welcoming back residents after it was closed for refurbishment earlier this year in March.
Local Labour party members say the investment and renovation, headed up by the Labour-led Warrington Borough Council, has modernised and refreshed the library whilst also creating a new much-needed community space for local residents.
They say it follows “brutal cuts” to local government funding by the Conservatives when more than 800 libraries across the country were forced to close, stifling learning, culture, and communities.
Despite austerity, Labour councillors say they made a commitment to library services and have planned to protect and sustain library spaces, recently announcing a new strategy to transform library services across Warrington.
They added that since 2021, Conservative councillors in Warrington had voted against investments in local libraries by voting against the council’s annual budget.
Libraries are still a popular destination with recent data showing nearly 550,000 visits to libraries in Warrington and nearly 500,000 books borrowed between 2019 and 2020.
Libraries do more than just lend books, they improve computer and digital literacy and offer free access to the internet, they improve social mobility supporting users to reach their full potential and they offer opportunities to combat loneliness by providing activities such as reading clubs to support some of Warrington’s most vulnerable residents.
Cllr Christine Smith, Local Labour Parish Councillor and Friend of Culcheth Library member said: “I’ve been a part of Friends of Culcheth Library since 2017. I’m proud of what we have achieved and how far our village library has come.
“We secured additional opening hours and have supported many community groups within the library including jigsaw groups and Lego groups for the little ones, bringing in more people to enjoy our library.
“Conservative cuts to council budgets put our library at risk, however, your local Labour parish and borough councillors committed to keeping our library open, investing in its refurbishment and its future.
“I’m thankful to all the colleagues, volunteers and friends who have supported us to keep this important community resource open.
Cllr Ben Aldred, Local Labour Parish Councillor and Friend of Culcheth Library member added: “The refurbishment and reopening of Culcheth Village Library is a true success for our community.
“In the face of brutal budget cuts by the Conservatives, that led to the closure of over 800 libraries nationwide, Labour councillors in Warrington ensured Culcheth wouldn’t become another casualty of Conservative austerity.
“Labour’s commitment to our libraries has transformed this space into what I hope will be a thriving community hub once again.
Cllr Tony Higgins, Warrington Borough Council Cabinet Member for Leisure and Community said: “I’m pleased to announce Culcheth Village Library has now reopened following Labour’s investment in the library to refurbish, modernise and create a new community space.
“Labour promised to keep this vital community asset open and we have delivered on that promise.
“It’s no secret that Conservative cuts to local authority budgets have closed hundreds of libraries up and down the country.
“I’m pleased to say that here in Warrington we are transforming our library services to better meet the needs of our communities.”
But Cllr. Maisey, pictured above at the opening with colleagues, responded: “It is deeply saddening to see the Cabinet Member for Leisure & Community and Labour Parish Councillors politicising a great community achievement like this in my ward.
“After visiting the library’s opening yesterday, I took to social media to thank all involved for working so hard and having a vision for a renovated library in our village.
“Friends of Culcheth Library is an A-Political group and a huge asset to the community, this statement released by Labour is mistimed and has undermined a great success story.
“It’s obvious that Parish Cllr’s Aldred and Cllr Smith were not familiar with the restricted covenants on Culcheth library at the time of making such a bold statement or simply chose to ignore them.
They should remember that, back in 2016, senior Labour councillors were willing to roll over and have their bellies tickled by LiveWire rather than stand up and fight for our Library. They were happy to turn a blind eye to a flawed consultation and allow our cherished village services to be shut. It was only the sheer force of the backlash from local residents that forced them to u-turn. As usual, Labour Councillors change their mind as soon as they realise they are on the wrong side of the argument.”
“Again, we have Labour Parish Councillors trotting out the same old political soundbites from their central office that we hear consistently. It doesn’t wash with residents and shows they seem to have no plan for our villages or opinions of their own. In May ’21 at the all-out WBC elections, Culcheth Glazebury & Croft residents overwhelmingly rejected the Labour Borough councillor candidates by a big margin.
“Along with my fellow Borough Councillors we’re looking forward to putting Culcheth Library back on our list of locations for holding our councillor surgeries, ensuring we’re accessible to all residents in the ward.
“Finally, I’d personally like to thank all the community activists and Friends of Culcheth Library for the grit and determination they’ve shown since 2016 and delivering such a great community asset we can all be proud of”.
