Wirral Green Party

The community has changed completely. It was a real hub for people to go to.”

with the council, adding: “Libraries aren’t just about books. They are about people being able to chat to a friendly face on the desk or take part in other events that might be going on there. It’s been a huge loss to Bromborough.

She told the LDRS: “It was a really cruel blow when the council decided to close and sell it. There’s no going back now and a library service would be fantastic for Bromborough.”

She said the Friends group has set up a pop-up library service in a nearby school and would be ready to work

Call to see libraries return in two areas after council U-turn CALLS have been made to see libraries return to two Wirral areas that lost them  years ago. Councillors have promised not to close more and are set…

Bromborough councillor Ruth Molyneux said she would support the move though she didn’t think it would be able to replicate what was lost when the civic centre closed. She had campaigned against its closure and said the loss was often brought up on the doorstep.
www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/2549552...

Now none of that wouldn’t have happened without that face-to-face intervention at one of our beautiful, beautiful libraries.

Committee, please please please vote to keep the libraries open.

It was the Little centre in Beechwood who came forward. They were able to facilitate this guys electric meter and gas meter and got some money on it for Christmas day.

They also did a brilliant thing. They created a hamper for him and his children for Christmas day.

He had no stuff for his children on Christmas Day and there was something that happened to his benefits. There was electric meter and gas meter and he couldn’t put them on.

The library staff were brilliant. They phoned around all day until they found something for him.

If we close the libraries, like we’ve closed the leisure centres, where will they go? Where do people with severe disabilities go?
There’s nowhere left for them to go so we need to keep our library open.

One story I want to tell.
It was Christmas Eve and a guy came into the library.

Signed by people of Rock Ferry who passionately want their library to stay open.

The council closed day centres and use the new model of adult social service, which included the libraries and the leisure centres.

Tony Norbury, Green Campaigner said:
People of Rock Ferry love their library and this is proof of it. A petition with over 1,800 names.

All libraries saved!

All the hours have been spent on, this new model for libraries could have been spent on enhancing the libraries that we already have and making them fit for purpose for the future.
Thank you,Mark. It wasn't a lie. I support keeping these libraries open. I hope you get the vote that you need tonight.

And all Labour councillors and Conservative councillors voted against that motion. Only the Greens and the LibDems voted FOR, which would have seen the libraries kept open and we would have had none of this pain.

The budget in March had a saving for libraries, £225,000. Now, anyone with skin in the game knows that a saving does mean ultimately closures.

And we[Green concillors] did propose an amendment which would have seen the libraries kept open.

And two excellent business plans for a community asset transfer. It was voted to close it and, it's now being sold. It's going to be retirement homes.

So, yeah, I feel your pain. I really support keeping these libraries open. And just to mention Mark Skillicorn's comments earlier:

Green Cllr Ruth Molyneux always supports keeping libraries open

And believe me,I feel your pain.
I campaigned to keep Bromborough library open. Despite more than 3,000 signatures and a great group of people, campaigners keep it open.

Votes in Favour 20 (Greens and LibDems); Votes Against 42 (Labour and Tories); Abstentions 1. The motion is lost

Cllr Brame (LibDeb, Oxton) FOR
Cllr Grahame McManus (Labour, Greasby) Against
Cllr Tony Murphy (Labour, Rock Ferry) Against
Cllr Skillicorn (Labour, Greasby) Against
Cllr Craig Walsh-McDonald (Green, Rock Ferry) FOR

It really should be a no brainer.

Cllr Baldwin (Tory, Moreton West) Against
Cllr Basnett (Labour, Rock Ferry) Against
Cllr Gary Bennett (Tory, Moreton West) Against
Cllr Stephen Bennett (Labour, Upton) Against
Cllr Bird (Green, Bromborough) FOR
Cllr Booth (Tory, Hoylake) Against

that many libraries could be closed within 12 months. That is not a situation that we want to risk happening.

So councillors, your political choice is either to waste more money destroying nature and probably breaking the law, or to protect nature to save our libraries.

should be allocated a special reserve to support nonprofit organisations that wish to help save their libraries in partnership with the council. The Green amendment means any closure of libraries will be postponed for a whole year. Voting against the Green amendment means

to provide more time to save our libraries, time for the TCCL committee to consult and engage with local community organisations. And secondly, any remaining revenue money, left unspent after facilitating the lifeboat access,.

There’s £300,000 in this budget for Hoylake and West Kirby Beech maintenance.

Our amendment proposes that the £300,000 is repurposed in two ways firstly £125,000 for much needed library provision,

Green Cllrs vote to save libraries

Labour and conservative vote against

However, we believe this budget can be made fairer and greener. Which is why we are moving the Green amendment to protect nature and save our libraries.

Green Cllrs vote to save libraries

Labour and conservative vote against

However, we believe this budget can be made fairer and greener. Which is why we are moving the Green amendment to protect nature and save our libraries.

This approach has worked well thus far. Many thanks"

Wirral Council wrote on 11.9.25 "Hi Councillor Bird. There have been two locations where officers were subjected to verbal abuse/threatening behaviour. Via Community Safety, Merseyside Police is supporting with a police presence in the revisit of those locations to deter any further repetition.

“Those who effectively approve of this behaviour would rather see our communities divided than offer practical solutions to repair society. It is no coincidence at all that their political parties are funded by billionaires and oppose taxes on the super-wealthy.”

“Operation Raise the Colours is a divisive and far-right campaign that encourages unauthorised use of council lampposts and graffiti on roundabouts. I’m glad to see only a small minority on the Wirral have taken part in it.

Councillor asked for flags to go 'that left people scared' The councillor has been criticised by the Conservatives and Reform

Cllr Bird said: “Council workers have been verbally abused and faced threats of physical violence for simply doing their job. It is absolutely appalling that right-wing parties in Wirral have not condemned that.

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