Church Stretton library campaigners to keep up fight

Members of Church Stretton Library Support Group have promised to step up their activities to make sure the library remains at its Church Street base.

They have enlisted the support of Philip Dunne, the Conservative candidate for Ludlow, to help their cause.

And a group of councillors led by Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Charlotte Barnes has said the decision should be called in and re-examined.

It comes after Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for culture and commissioning, rubberstamped a plan to move the library to Church Stretton School at a meeting last week despite widespread public opposition.

But campaigners have said the town has been subjected to "shoddy treatment" from Shropshire Council over the whole process.

Felicity Thomas, speaking for Church Stretton library support group, said: "The fight to keep the library where it is far from over and our activities will now go into a higher gear. Church Stretton residents do not accept this shoddy treatment."

She said Shropshire Council had rejected the group's offer of community involvement in running the library to keep it where it is, and 25 members of the group had met with Mr Dunne since to make him "fully aware of the disrespect shown" to Church Stretton residents by Shropshire Council.

Mr Dunne said "I was concerned to learn that some of the information on which the council is basing its decision may be flawed.

"I am taking this up with Shropshire Council, to see whether even at this late stage, it may be possible to make sure these alternatives are fully examined."

Councillor Barnes, who represents Bishop's Castle on Shropshire Council, said: "Its patently obvious that removing the library from the town centre would be a disaster for Church Stretton.

"Moving it half a mile to the school in a place with such a significant elderly population is simply a non starter."

George Candler, director of commissioning at Shropshire Council, said: "Shropshire Council has taken into account the issues that people raised during the extensive consultation, including those from the Church Stretton Library Support Group.

"We are committed to resolving the concerns that have been raised by consultees in response to the proposal to relocate the library to the school."