Suffolk Libraries has today reacted to the news that Suffolk County Council plans to take the library service back in house.
Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries, said:
“We are incredibly shocked, disappointed and frustrated by this afternoon’s announcement by Suffolk County Council. It’s a bolt from the blue and in our opinion, it’s a staggeringly short-sighted decision.
“Suffolk Libraries has done an amazing job of running the library service in Suffolk for 12 and a half years under very challenging circumstances. We have successfully steered the charity to become a recognised pioneer for change within the library sector and we are now regarded as a leading force within the industry. We currently have one of the best run library services in the country which has saved millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money, increased the impact and value of libraries and ultimately made Suffolk a better place to live by offering residents access to a groundbreaking and diverse range of services and support.
“Suffolk County Council’s decision will impact everyone in the county and indeed will send out worrying signals to the nation with regard to the future of libraries within the community. Even if you don’t use libraries, we believe the proposed change will be a very inefficient and costly process and the cost to the people of Suffolk is even higher.
“We intend to fight this decision and will comment further once we’ve had a chance to fully digest the details from today’s briefing.”
