HANDS Off Redditch Library campaigners gathered at the site to hold a ‘first birthday party’ for scaffolding which was put up a year ago.
The tongue-in-cheek celebration on Tuesday evening, which featured party hats, party blowers and a football rattle, was held exactly 12 months to the day it was put up.
Campaigners said the results of a Freedom of Information request they submitted showed the structure – up until May 31, 2023 – had cost the taxpayer £20,193.22, despite it ‘not needing to be there’.
It was mooted the scaffolding was put up to carry out tests which had been completed and work which had not.
Emily Tyrrell, Hands Off Redditch Library spokesperson, said: “We’re here to celebrate the first anniversary of the scaffolding which has been put up yet the work still has not been done.
“This has cost more than £20,000 of taxpayers’ money and we feel they should either complete the work or take the scaffolding down as we’re paying for that.”
Worcestershire County Councillor Andy Fry, who represents the town centre where the library is, said he believed the authority, by moving the service into the borough council’s community hub in the town hall was ‘trying to get a free library without having to put its hand in its pocket’.
“Another issue is having the scaffolding up there makes it look like the library building is falling down which is not the case.”
Coun Marcus Hart, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “The scaffolding being in place has allowed for investigation work to identify the source of the problem, the extent of it and potential solutions.
“The investigation work is now complete and has identified that remedial work on the building is required.
“The scaffolding at Redditch Library, is acting as a safety measure, creating a ‘safety net’ on the exterior of the building to prevent pedestrians walking under areas that are in need of repair.”
