Support for ‘at risk' Highgate library, but cash will still need to be raised to cover funding crisis
Thursday, 19th July 2012
Published: 19 July, 2012
by DAN CARRIER
THE Highgate branch library will not be cast adrift from Town Hall control – but will need to find ways of raising cash to cover a funding crisis which will slash its budget by about two-thirds from next March.
At a meeting on Tuesday at the library in Chester Road, Town Hall library chief Mike Clarke and Highgate ward councillors met library users to thrash out plans to cover a funding shortfall of about £110,000.
Both Mr Clarke and ward Labour councillor Valerie Leach guaranteed the council would continue to run the library and that it would not be pushed out of local authority control as has happened with Heath, Belsize and Chalk Farm branches.
Cllr Leach said: “This I promise: Highgate branch will remain a library managed and partly funded by Camden Council.”
The meeting gave a platform for users to voice criticism of the council for failing to provide rock-solid information on finances before the meeting.
Mr Clarke asked for suggestions as to how the library could be used to generate income, leading to ideas such as opening a café, offering a visitors centre for Highgate Cemetery, using space for council housing offices or offering next-door neighbour Brookfield primary school space.
Friends of Highgate Library treasurer Linda Lefevre said: “It was a helpful meeting as it has been very hard to get information on finances up to this point. We welcome the determination shown to find a solution to keep the library open as a community hub.”
Ward Green councillor Maya De Souza said: “The meeting made it clear Highgate Library is at risk.
"This is a similar situation to those libraries now hived off into the community.
"I am disappointed that the figures weren’t made clear by the administration to the community earlier.”
