Councillors hit back at MP over her comments about plans to reduce library opening hours

Two Sandbach town councillors have slammed Congleton MP Fiona Bruce over her comments about Cheshire East Council's plans to reduce opening hours at local libraries.

Fiona Bruce raised concerns in the House of Commons recently as we detailed in our story here .

The MP said the plan, to close libraries in Cheshire East for at least one and half weekdays a week, would potentially not only impact on young people's learning but on the well-being of many of the least well-off constituents.  

She aegued: "Does the Leader of the House agree that members of Congleton Town Council and others are absolutely right to oppose that inexplicable proposal, bearing in mind its negative and, indeed, potentially damaging impact not only on young people's learning but on many of my least well-off constituents, who depend on libraries for welfare checks, bus applications, computer use for job applications, to read the local papers, and many other everyday essentials?"  

Cllr Mark Mitchell, an Elworth ward councillor, who has written to the MP, said he was "dismayed" by the "audacity" of Fiona Bruce's comments.

"Austerity policies implemented by the many faces of Conservative government over the last 13 years have resulted in real terms cuts to county council funding amounting to over 20 per cent," he said. 

"Currently Cheshire East Council is looking at a funding gap of over £20 million and the reason the council is in this position is as a direct result of her party's failure to properly manage the economy, allow inflation to spiral out of control as well as their repeated cuts to local council funding.

"Community libraries represent an important local institution, not only are they a place where people can get access to books they have access to computers, internet, they are also warm, safe spaces that people can visit during these difficult days of the cost-of-living crisis."

Cllr Mitchell's comments have been echoed by fellow Sandbach town councillor, Cllr Cllr) Gareth Lindop, from the town's Heath and East ward.

"It is community services that suffer time and time again and the only way to solve that is by an increase in central government funding," he said.

"In the face of ongoing and significant national funding and cost pressures, including unprecedented inflation, Labour-led Cheshire East Council delivered a balanced budget and four-year financial plan, in February this year.

"This combined with increased complexity and demand for services due to the cost-of-living crisis, is making it increasingly difficult to deliver what our residents rightly expect.

"Until central government deals with the financial impact of the increased cost of social care and rampant inflationary costs, everyday services will continue to suffer as councils have to respond to a huge combination of pressures."