It’s time to join the fight to save St James’s Library from the axe

Published: 25 March, 2011

• THE closure of the St James’s Library in Victoria Street will hit the many elderly residents living nearby, as well as pupils at local schools. 

This is all part of the Conservatives’ claim that they are “maintaining the library service”!

The Conservatives say they are closing the library because 38 per cent of users are commuters who do not live in Westminster. 

But then they announce that they are planning to open a new library at Victoria station in “a few years’” time (the date is actually 2015, but why let the facts get in the way)? 

Victoria station is the gateway to a million workers who pile into Westminster each day. 

Is the council going to tell commuters that they cannot use the new library?

The Conservatives say they are “maintaining library service” but the money to buy new books is being cut by £250,000 over the next four years – a 40 per cent reduction. There will be fewer new books and other resources and a significant reduction in multiple copies.  

Customers will wait longer to get their choice. 

How can this possibly be described as “maintaining the library service”?

And where are the 10,000 local volunteers that the Conservatives told us were waiting to run our libraries for free? 

And what did David Cameron say last month about those councils which plan to close libraries? 

He said: “We are taking council spending back to the level generally in terms of grants that it was in 2007. 

“I see no reason at all why they should not continue with the very well-funded network of libraries.” 

Surely David Cameron can’t be wrong, can he?

Many residents have contacted me about their anger and dismay at the closure of St James’s Library. 

We have until September to force the council to change its mind. We are already supporting library staff in their campaign and the Westminster South Labour Party has launched a petition to keep the library open. We cannot let the council close 

St James’s Library without putting up a fight. 

Write to me if you would like to join us.

CLLR PAUL DIMOLDENBERG
Leader of the Labour Group
Westminster City Council
City Hall, SW1