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29th August 2008

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Budget fallout: libraries at risk

17.10.07 Katherine Rushton

Funding for libraries hangs in the balance after what the Local Government Association described as the "worst financial settlement for councils in a decade".

Councils were awarded an increase of 1% above inflation in the Comprehensive Spending Review, which sets out budgets for the next three years. But discretionary spend—which includes libraries—is likely to be hit because of the increasing cost of delivering statutory services. "It's that old Denis Healey line: Councils are going to be bled ‘until the pips squeak'," said an LGA spokesman. "Libraries are one of the first services that will get cut."

Central government funding for the libraries sector also faces a squeeze. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport won a "fantastic" 6.6% year-on-year rise over the 2008–2011 period and pledged to maintain funding "in real terms for arts, museums and galleries". But the boon for those sectors could spell cuts for others—including libraries.

A DCMS spokesman warned: "The Arts Council is in real terms a winner but the boost will not be uniform across the board. Clearly someone is going to get less. There will be a pot of money set aside for the Olympics and in the next fortnight we are examining the budgets for other areas such as tourism, film, theatre and lib–raries. Everything is up for grabs."

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is facing the prospect of reductions in staff and other costs if it does not secure funding in line with inflation. "We must deliver efficiency in the MLA itself," a spokesman said. "The settlement is very tight and overheads do need to be looked at.
Our main concern is the service to the public that libraries deliver."

MLA c.e.o. Roy Clare met with culture secretary James Purnell and culture minister Margaret Hodge on Wednesday to make his case for the MLA, and "press[ed] the case for libraries" as part of that, the spokesman added.

Library Katherine Rushton