Community hubs and libraries across Leeds could face reduced opening hours, if Leeds City Council plans to instigate a raft of financial cuts become a reality.
The hubs – which include Armley, Bramley, Hawksworth and Pudsey, along with Calverley Library – typically house a number of council services.
Council chiefs have launched a public consultation on proposals to reduce opening hours in a bid to save money as the authority faces its ‘most challenging financial position since 2011.
The council has had reductions in funding from central government of over 30% of its budget in the last decade, increased costs due to the energy crisis, greater demand for services due to the cost of living crisis and increased demand for social care rising by £46m over the past 12 years.
It has already announced the proposed closure of Pudsey Civic Hall and has already launched a public consultation into the proposal. Building closures and sales, new car parking charges, service and staffing reductions and price increases are among wide-ranging changes being proposed as Leeds City Council sets out its annual budget plans for the 2024-25 financial year.
Council chiefs say they also face savings of £58.4m next year, alongside £7.4m of already agreed savings; £60.6m the year after and £46.1m the year after that. The council argues it has had to find savings of £795m a year since 2010/11.
The consultation states: “In order for us to continue to deliver as efficient and effective a service as we can, whilst contributing to the Council’s financial challenge we would like to change our opening hours, resulting in some reduction.
“The council has a specific statutory requirement to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, and the proposed change in opening hours does not undermine this statutory duty.”
The consultation into community hub and library cuts can be accessed here.
Follow WLD’s Cutswatch series of articles to keep track on proposed cuts.
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Unbelievable incompetent labour council again! Central government asn’t cut funding for Leeds City Council it’s this incompetent council who can’t manage their own fund’s. Useless management in lcc , funding on useless diversity projects, funding on useless transport infrastructure(cycle and bus gate lane’s) new road layouts which is coursing more traffic congestion and pollution around the city of Leeds. Lcc manual staff working from home (lcc offices in the city empty) how much is this costing the tax payer’s of Leeds. James Lewis incompetent just like many of his staff. (Not all) venerable adults and children services on it’s, why lcc? Because the incompetent of management at the top. The list goes on. Shame on you Leeds City Council and get your staff back in the workplace.( bums on seats )and provide a service for the hard working people of Leeds.
Libraries are important for the wellbeing of the community and any further cuts to these services is disgraceful. They offer warm spots during winter months, provide advice to the public and also offer a communal meeting space for lonely eoe.
100%agree. When will the public of Leeds realise this Labour council isn’t fit for purpose. Support your local community and residents.
I’m the archetypal floating voter, so don’t have a political axe to grind. While I agree the council has wasted some money – the ill-fated City of Culture being one of them – I have to say some of my fellow commenters leave me scratching my head when they attempt to brush off the years of cuts from central Government as if they didn’t exist or that they don’t matter!
It’s good to hear from these people that the council hasn’t lost 30 per cent of its budget!
And please, don’t come back to me with mutterings about cycle lanes and road changes – the vast majority of this comes from external sources, including central Government (Department for Transport grant of £18,052,000 was the main source for the so-called cycle superhighway, supplemented by West Yorkshire Combined Authority).
Could Labour of better? Yes. Is it all Labour’s fault? Of course it isn’t. Time to get your heads out of the sand guys.
Labour support. Look at the empty office space in the Leeds Labour Council. Working from home pays (really) Look at the children support services ( no is working in these departments) why? Where’s the support for vulnerable adults and children care? And you agree with the transport infrastructure around Leeds? I’m lost for words. And like you say everyone to their own opinion.
Sad that your first reaction is to label me a Labour supporter and then follow up with pops at unions. I’m afraid I’m not a Labour supporter, the point I was trying to make was that tribalistic responses weren’t helpful (thanks for proving that right). I haven’t voted Labour for donkey’s years, and won’t be in May’s local elections (and I always vote).
Some of the points you raise there are very valid. Labour haven’t got it right.
But to ignore the impact of central Government cuts (which you continue to do I note) is neither helpful nor accurate.
But as you say, each to their own.
The truth is out there, Agent Mulder!
One last word, have you ever worked with the West Yorkshire combined authority? Competence at it’s highest. Who pulls the strings in West Yorkshire combined authority the GMB Union may have alot of influence in West Yorkshire for their own political gain and interests.
Incompetent at it’s highest WYCA.
Thanks for your comic contributions Christopher! I hope to see many more of them on this site. You are so entertaining!