As I understand it Shropshire’s current statutory library service has 13 branch libraries run by the Council and 8 branches run by community groups /town councils. The Council proposes:
– removing the 8 locally run branches from the statutory service and to stop funding them from April 2019.
– to continue to operate the 13 council run branches as the statutory library service but to cease funding 7 of the branches from April 2023.

Some questions arising are surely:
– Is the proposed service comprehensive? What is the proposed statutory library service to the communities where the libraries are locally run? Are there any limits on a Council selecting its own service parameters to justify a [reduced] statutory service provision?
– Can a Council decide to only part fund a statutory service for which it has responsibility? The Council has a legal duty to set a balanced annual budget which surely implies a duty to fund its statutory services?
– How is the common law right of residents to be treated equally met when the Council has different funding policies for the same statutory service costs depending on location?

Shropshire residents should I think give their Council a hard time over these proposals.