REVEALED: Libraries and services proposed to shut by LCC

The report, which came out at 4pm today, reveals dozens of libraries could close, meaning hundreds of jobs being cut.

Lancashire County Council needs to save £200m by 2020/21 as a result of ongoing government cuts to its budget and rising demand for services.

Councillors are being asked to give the go-ahead for a 12-week consultation period, inviting comments and suggestions about the proposals, before taking a final decision later this year.

Subject to the Cabinet agreeing to proceed with a consultation process, it is due to begin on Wednesday, May 18 for 12 weeks.

County Councillor Jenny Mein, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “The severity of the county council’s financial position cannot be overstated, and the ongoing cuts in central government funding combined with rising demand for our services mean the only way we can maintain the services that people rely on is to deliver them in a different way.

“I’m acutely aware that people have a very strong connection to their local services, particularly places like libraries which are often seen as a valuable part of the community.

“These proposals are very difficult ones for councillors to have to consider, but our aim is to come up with a solution that still gives everyone in Lancashire good access to good services, even though some will have to be further away than they are now.

“The fact we’re considering as many as 238 buildings in this process reflects the way services have developed over several decades when the council had more money to spend. We really need to think about where services are most needed and how we can reduce the costs that come with running so many premises. Our reduced need for buildings also reflects that we’ve already had to significantly reduce the budget for many services.

“The Cabinet report reflects a lot of hard work to assess where services should be located, taking account of things such as geographic spread, the needs of different communities, and access issues such as public transport and car parking.

“Following the Cabinet meeting we intend to put these plans out to consultation and we’ll be very keen for people to express their views and help shape the final proposals.”

Information will be made available online and at county council buildings throughout Lancashire about the public consultations.

The services which are proposed to shut are -

CHORLEY

Chorley Adlington Library and Children’s Centre (designated)

Chorley Astley and Buckshaw Children’s Centre (designated)

Chorley Blossomfields Children’s Centre (Eccleston)

Chorley Youth Offending Team (Halliwell Street)

Chorley Clayton Brook Children’s Centre (designated)

Chorley Coppull Children’s Centre (designated)

Chorley Coppull Young People’s Centre

Chorley Eccleston Young People’s Centre

Chorley Highfield Children’s Centre (designated)

Chorley Millfield Children’s Centre (Brinscall) (designated)

Chorley The Zone in Chorley

LANCASTER

Lancaster Balmoral Children’s Centre (Morecambe) (designated)

Lancaster Barton Road Young People’s Centre

Lancaster Bolton-le-Sands Library

Lancaster Carnforth Library

Lancaster Firbank Children’s Centre (designated)

Lancaster Galgate Children’s Centre (Ellel)

Lancaster Heysham Children’s Centre and Young People’s Centre (designated)

Lancaster Lancaster Registration Office

Lancaster Morecambe Registration Office

Lancaster Poulton Children’s Centre (Morecambe) (designated)

Lancaster Ryelands Young People’s Centre

Lancaster Silverdale Library

PRESTON

Preston Fulwood Library

Preston Preston East Children’s Centre (designated)

Preston St Lawrence Children’s Centre (Barton)

RIBBLE VALLEY

Ribble Valley Chatburn Library

Ribble Valley Longridge Young People’s Centre

Ribble Valley Read Library

Ribble Valley Ribble Valley Adult Disability Day Services (Pendleton Brook)

Ribble Valley Slaidburn Young People’s Centre

Ribble Valley Whalley Library and Spring Wood Children’s Centre

Ribble Valley Willows Park Children’s Centre (Longridge) (designated)

SOUTH RIBBLE

South Ribble Bamber Bridge Children’s Centre (designated)

South Ribble Bamber Bridge Library

South Ribble Kingsfold Children’s Centre (designated)

South Ribble Longton Children’s Centre

South Ribble Lostock Hall Library and Children’s Centre

South Ribble Penwortham Library

South Ribble Penwortham Young People’s Centre

South Ribble Wellfield Children’s Centre (designated)

WYRE

Wyre Cleveleys Library and Children’s Centre

Wyre Fleetwood Children’s Centre (designated)

Wyre Garstang Young People’s Centre

Wyre Northfleet Library

Wyre Over Wyre Children’s Centre (Hambleton satellite)

Wyre Over Wyre Children’s Centre (Preesall satellite)

Wyre Poulton-le-Fylde Children’s Centre

Wyre Preesall Young People’s Centre

Wyre Rural Wyre Children’s Centre (Garstang) (designated)

Wyre Thornton Library

Wyre Thornton Young People’s Centre

Wyre Thornton Youth Offending Team (Marsh Mill)

FYLDE

Fylde Ansdell Library

Fylde Freckleton Library

Fylde Kirkham Library

Fylde Kirkham Young People’s Centre

Fylde Lower Lane Young People’s Centre

Fylde Lytham Children’s Centre

Fylde Lytham Library and Registration Office

Fylde Orchard Children’s Centre (Freckleton) (designated)

Fylde Pear Tree Children’s Centre (Kirkham) (designated)

WEST LANCASHIRE

West Lancashire Burscough Library

West Lancashire Children’s Social Care (Fairlie Skelmersdale)

West Lancashire Hesketh with Becconsall Children’s Centre

West Lancashire Moorgate Children’s Centre (Ormskirk) (designated)
West Lancashire Ormskirk Derby Street Day Centre (older people)

West Lancashire Parbold Library

West Lancashire St John’s Children’s Centre (Skelmersdale) (designated)

West Lancashire Upholland Library

BURNLEY

Belmont Community Centre

Briercliffe Library

Brunshaw Young People’s Centre

Burnley Campus Library

Hapton Young People’s Centre

Padiham Young People’s Centre

Pike Hill Library

Rosegrove Library

Stoops and Hargher Clough Young People’s Centre

HYNDBURN

Accrington Young Offending Team (Blake Street)

Clayton-le-Moors Library

Clayton-le-Moors Young People’s Centre

Great Harwood Young People’s Centre

Huncoat Children’s Centre (designated)

Oswaldtwistle Library

Oswaldtwistle Young People’s Centre

Rishton Library

Sure Start Hyndburn - Accrington South Children’s Centre (The Beeches)

PENDLE

Barnoldswick Young People’s Centre

Barrowford Library

Brierfield Library

Brierfield Young People’s Centre

Colne Young People’s Centre

Earby Library

Pendleside Children’s Centre (Barrowford)

Trawden Library and Riverside Children’s Centre

Trawden Young People’s Centre

ROSSENDALE

Bacup Library

Balladen Children’s Centre (Rawtenstall)

Crawshawbooth Library

Rossendale Registration Office

Staghills Children’s Centre

Whitewell Bottom Community Centre

Whitworth Library

Whitworth Young People’s Centre