Steve McCabe MP has called on the Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council to re-open Druids Heath Library after it was temporarily closed over 3 months ago.
Steve is joining with local residents, who have started a petition calling on the Council to re-open the Library, to save this vital community asset and has written directly to the Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council.
In September 2018 Druids Heath Library was temporarily closed due to water damage sustained by a broken boiler but since then the Council have failed to provide any assurances to the local community about when the repairs will be carried out and the Library re-opened.
Druids Heath Library offers a Neighbourhood Advice Service every Thursday, one of the only neighbourhood advice services left in South Birmingham, which provides a range of advice to local residents on issues such as housing and benefits. The Library also runs activity sessions for children and is a focal point for the local community, helping to tackle isolation and loneliness.
Residents also use the Library to access computers and the internet. Access to the internet is becoming even more important as the rollout of Universal Credit continues as it requires people to make a claim and manage their benefits using an online system.
Steve McCabe MP said:
“Libraries are so much more than just a place to borrow a book. They are community hubs, a place to meet other people, a place to get advice, a place to join in local activities. Druids Heath Library is well-used and really important to our local community.
“People in Druids Heath have already been betrayed by the Government who closed down Baverstock Academy and I will not stand by while another vital community asset is threatened with closure. I have written to the Chief Executive of the Council to ask when the repairs will be carried out so the Library can re-open as soon as possible.”
To sign the petition click here
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