The Rutland councillors who will make the final decision on the future of Ryhall Library were urged, 'not to be lean and mean' at last night's (February 27) budget setting meeting. 

The cabinet of six will make a final decision in April about whether to close the library, as had been recommended by officers in January, or to keep the doors open. 

The authority had set aside £70,000 to make improvements but has said estimated costs are closer to £250,000 which it cannot afford. Like most local authorities the council has to make millions of pounds of savings over the next few years to make sure its accounts balance. 

The council's announced costs have been disputed by the Ryhall Library Action Group, which says repairs costing less than £30,000, could keep the library operating as it is. There is a proposal for a community group, involving the parish council, to take over the running of the library if the county authority decides it can no longer afford to. 



There has been a large local campaign to save Ryhall Library (Photo: LDRS)

Cllr David Wilby (Con), who represents the ward said at the meeting held at Catmose House: "I would like you over the next six weeks before the April cabinet to look very closely at the information that has been cobbled together really well by the residents of the ward, who have produced their own ideas of costings, which in many ways different with what was presented before them as the reasons to close the library. 

"I would just like you not to be lean and mean but try and be innovative and understanding and look in a very positive manner to see how we can keep a very good county council establishment – the only county council establishment on the Eastern frontier going. 

He added: "Please look kindly on our library at Ryhall. We have been subjected to so much building in our neck of the woods." 

The authority ran a consultation this month asking residents their thoughts on the library service in the village. Perhaps giving a glimmer of hope, cabinet member for community coun Christine Wise (Lid Dem) said she had read all of the responses that had come in and said some 'very sound points' had been made. 

The cabinet member for finance Andrew Johnson (Lib Dem) pointed out at the meeting that the budget being set last night would not decide Ryhall's fate.   

However, as the leader of the independent group Cllr Rosemary Powell stated, his responses to a series of questions from Ryhall residents 'lacked clarity'. 

Residents had asked a series of questions about the council's finances and whether reserves could be used to keep the library running but the answers did not appear direct. 

Cllr Johnson said the council's four libraries were undergoing a change into a new living well scheme. These new services will offer wider services than book lending. In Oakham a new youth hub is being added to the library.  

He said: "The council is currently progressing this project and as yet is not at the stage to provide a breakdown per library prior to the technical works to the libraries being published. 

"The design works are being reviewed and finalised with the architects. Once the tender documents are released these will be publicly available and once the tender contracts are awarded the price per contract will be in the public domain." 

He said the April cabinet decision about the library 'will be made within the funding envelope agreed at council for the delivery of library services across Rutland'.