Controversial plans that could have seen a children’s library walled off and converted into a council office are likely to be thrown out.
The future of Kirkburton Library could become clear this week when Kirklees Council’s cabinet considers a formal application from the parish council for a community asset transfer.
If approved this would see the library run by one council employee backed by community volunteers.
Plans had been drawn up by the Green Party on Kirkburton Parish Council which would have seen the library extended with the children’s section converted into an office for the parish council.
It would have housed the parish clerks and been used for council meetings and the proposals also included creating space for car parking.
But at a meeting of the parish council’s library committee on Thursday, Conservative councillors revealed plans to overturn the Green Party’s proposals and keep the library as it is.
Tory Clr Bill Armer said: “The children’s library is a wonderful space for young people to engage with books and reading activities and we do not want to see that lost just to create an office for the parish clerk.”
Under the Conservative proposals Burton Village Hall will remain the home of the parish council. The plans will go before a full meeting of the parish council early next month.
Clr John Taylor, a Tory councillor, said: “The Green Party proposals would have cost the council around £35,000 to cover the costs of the move, the conversion of the children’s library into an office and creating additional car park spaces which the Green Party proposed to borrow money to finance.
“Under our proposals none of this expenditure will be incurred, saving money and retaining the children’s library – a win win for local people.”
But Clr Andrew Cooper, Kirklees Council’s Green Party leader and former Kirkburton parish councillor, said the initial plans would have seen the library building extended, and the children’s library would not have been lost.
And he said the initial plans had been voted through by all parish councillors – including the Conservatives.
“Clr Taylor is only telling part of the story,” he said. “We were looking at extending the building and creating a lot more space for a children’s library and offices.
“There would still have been a children’s library and the car parking was to provide more spaces for local people.”
Kirklees Council has been grappling with the problem of libraries for years as it looks to save cash.
And Clr Cooper said changes to the plans at this stage, just days before Kirklees Council meets, could put the library’s future at risk.
“The problem for Clr Taylor is there’s a business plan which has been put forward to Kirklees to save the library and he’s messing around with it,” said Clr Cooper. “He’s not thinking of the bigger picture, which is keeping a library service in the village.”
