A TRADE union boss has accused County Hall bosses of "ripping the heart out of our communities" by threatening to close 25 libraries across Essex.
Tim Roberts, Unison eastern regional manager, said: “Essex County Council is threatening to rip the heart out of our communities.
“If the only thing libraries did was make knowledge available to all, then these closures would be an act of cultural vandalism – but the fact is they do so much more, from children’s story times to helping elderly and vulnerable people connect with the world around them.
“And we can’t run a high-quality and accountable library service on goodwill alone.
READ MORE: Community rallies in bid to save 'hugely important' library from axe
"If we want our kids to fall in love with reading, we need properly trained, properly paid staff to guide them through the process in properly resourced libraries.
“Instead the council is telling our children that their futures don’t matter.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel