UNISON reveals ‘hidden and drastic’ cuts to libraries and community learning services

CityChambers

All Edinburgh libraries face reduced opening hours, some will close and merge with other services, mobile library stops will vanish and Community Learning and Development jobs are to be axed in a £6.4 million cuts package, warns the Edinburgh branch of UNISON, the public service union.

“UNISON is concerned that the council is trying to slip these hidden and drastic cuts through without any real public consultation. Cuts have already been approved under the guise of ‘transformation’ but we believe that service users are unaware of what these proposals actually mean. UNISON also believes the council may not have met it obligations under the Public Service Equality Duty”, said Amanda Kerr, UNISON Edinburgh organiser.

“These cuts affect some of our most vulnerable and deprived citizens. Service users have a right to be properly consulted on what these cuts mean and how they will impact on our communities. We urge members of the public to contact their councillors before it’s too late”, she added.

UNISON has warned that, as part of the city’s budget saving exercise, all of Edinburgh’s libraries will reduce the hours they are open to the public. All libraries in Edinburgh, including the Central Library will be closed on Monday and Wednesday mornings, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and revert back to opening only on Saturday mornings. Staff numbers will be reduced and some mobile library stops will simply vanish.

Some libraries will continue to be stand alone, others would be combined with community centres and some would be run by local communities.

The council’s Schools and Lifelong Learning Review proposes a budget reduction of 6.4 million which will also include a reduction of Community Learning and Development workers across the city, impacting greatly on the opportunities available for people to participate in youth work, adult education, family learning, or community development activity.

The city council must cut it’s costs by £85 million and up to 2000 jobs are expected to go this year. The Council has agreed plans for spending and savings until 2020 and is currently going through a ‘transformation process’ to change the way services are delivered.

By 2019/20 providing services is expected to cost £1.076bn but income is only expected to be £928m, meaning cuts of at least £148m further down the line.

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer