A well-attended second meeting of the Save Highbridge Library Campaign was held at the Morland Community Hall this week where further plans to fight the potential closure were discussed.

Present were members of all three main political parties, plus local councillors, trade unionists and Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea residents keen to support the library.

A new canpaign banner has been designed and printed, as pictured below, and will be used when the campaign will support an anti-cuts lobby outside the full Somerset County Council budget meeting on Wednesday 21st February at 9.30am outside County Hall in Taunton.

A wide range of campaign activities was discussed and is being planned for the next few weeks through the County Council’s consultation period.

These include a public petition calling for the library to remain open with at least its current hours and the retention of trained library staff.

The campaign is also considering a door-to-door survey to capture evidence of a local community desire for improved use of the library should extra library facilities and opening hours be made available.

A Save Highbridge Library stall is also be planned for local supermarkets in Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea, and also in Market Street and other venues, when more information will be offered and a chance to sign the petition.

Various fundraising activities are also being planned to support the campaign.

Moorland Community Hall were warmly thanked for hosting the group’s meetings and will be hosting weekly meetings on Thursdays at 7.30pm when all are welcome.

The Taunton Area Activists’ Committee of Unite the union has agreed a donation of £100 to pay for the new banner displaying the ‘Save Highbridge Library’ campaign message.

The banner was designed by Highbridge-based Unite Community Branch member James Cameron, commissioned by Unite Community Regional Officer Brett Sparkes, and paid for by the donation.

Unite full-time officers Heathcliffe Pettifer and Dorothy Fogg were agreed on the significance of the donation, saying: “With delegates from some of Somerset’s largest workplaces, as well as our Unite Community Branch, our activists have showed their commitment to supporting worthwhile community causes, and long may this continue, a wholly positive aspect of today’s trades unionism that may surprise some but which in fact has been a part of our culture for decades.”

As first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com, Somerset County Council says Highbridge Library could close under its cost-cutting proposals unless local volunteers are found to keep it open.

Somerset County Council’s consultation on the future of how its library services can be accessed at www.somerset.gov.uk/librariesconsultation.

 
Subscribe to our free news updates and join our other subscribers.
No spam, we promise. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details without your permission. View our privacy page
Select all options that you require: