The leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Philip Jackson, says the authority is currently uncertain about the costs involved in bringing Grimsby Cenral Library back into use.
The library has been closed since May following the discovery of a leak, which prompted asbestos removal and the relocation of all books, raising concerns over the site’s future.
Six months on, campaigners and councillors remain frustrated over the lack of progress and transparency surrounding the scheme, with some highlighting the fact that the council has failed in its statutory duty to provide accessible library services.
Following a scrutiny meeting earlier this month, several attendees criticised the lack of survey results and the absence of a timeline for opening the library or its pop-up replacement. It was also noted that much of the survey content may be confidential, potentially leaving decision-makers without the information they need.
Now, at a recent live Q&A run by the council, Councillor Jackson stated that the authority is currently uncertain “about the status of the central library,” adding that it doesn’t have “any indication at this stage of how much money it’s going to cost to bring it back into use.”
During the event, he added that once the council has “had the opportunity to conduct a full survey, that information will be given to the Library Select Committee.”
Addressing the situation, leader of the Independents Group, Councillor Steve Holland, previously told Gi Grimsby News that the situation was “frustrating as a councillor,” adding that “‘not only have the surveys on the empty central library not been completed by the end of August as expected, we don’t even have a timeline for when we will have a clear idea of what work needs doing and how much it will cost.“
Councillor Nicola Aisthorpe, leader of the local Liberal Democrats, added: “Six months on from the library’s closure, residents deserve clarity and progress. Grimsby’s Central Library is a cornerstone of our community, and the ongoing closure, with no temporary library yet in place, is leaving too many people without access to books, learning, support and digital services they rely on.
“People are understandably asking when their library will reopen. The council now needs to publish the survey results, set out a timeline for both the main site and the temporary library, and be open about the next steps.“
Councillor Emma Clough, leader of Labour Group, said she had written to the Chief Executive of the Council to raise a number of concerns over the handling of the process.
Updates to follow.
Part of the Gi Grimsby News team since 2020.