WORCESTERSHIRE County council cabinet members have unanimously voted to relocate Redditch Library to the town hall.
In a meeting today members met to discuss the proposals, and concluded it was in the best interests of the town to go ahead with the relocation.
Coun Marcus Hart, cabinet member with responsibility for communities said he was pleased with the thorough process the council undertook during the consultation.
“The council has been braver, bolder and more ambitious with these plans.
“And I don’t think we can be accused of making a rushed decision.
“We have a duty to provide a comprehensive library service for residents, and that is what these plans do.”
We reported last month how 1,467 people had taken part in the three-month consultation, which was 2.2 per cent of the town’s population.
But, of those who did respond, 72.3 per cent said they disagreed with the relocation.
Of the library members who took part, 77 per cent said they did not want it relocated, compared to 52 per cent of the participating non-library members.
Coun Hart added: “This was a consultation not a referendum, we seriously considered the 1,467 responses, but 15,000 Redditch residents are members of the library so you do have to consider what the silent majority might be thinking.”
Relocating the library to the town hall as part of a ‘community hub’ is part of the Town Plan Deal, led by Redditch Borough Council.
This would allow for the current library building to be demolished to make way for a plaza in the town centre.
It is hoped this would improve the flow into the town centre from the Kingfisher and help attract new businesses.
Three public speakers pleaded their case to keep the service in its current location at the meeting, including Andrea Berry.
She said: “The main concerns arising from the consultation is the additional impact of travelling to the town hall.
“Shop mobility charges an £18 annual members fee and a daily fee of £4.20 for a motorised vehicle or £7.80 for non-members.
“This will add an extra cost for disabled people to overcome the difficulties in overcoming the gradients mentioned in the feedback to the consultation.
“For the town hall to be accessible it needs to be remodelled with a proper lift and ramp.”
Deputy leader of Redditch Labour Coun Sharon Harvey said she was disappointed but not surprised by the decision.
“We knew this was coming, but we’re angry at they way they wriggled around the percentages, citing the ‘silent majority’.
“If Labour gain control of the council next May we will stop this.”
