Save Barnet Libraries: Campaigners ‘cautiously optimistic’ after council expands scope of review

Barnet Council has launched a much-awaited review of its library provision this week.

At a meeting of the town hall's community leadership and libraries committee, the committee accepted an opposition amendment put by Labour's Cllr Sara Conway to widen the scope of the intended review so that it now also will consider the impact of the loss of space at libraries and the impact on disabled people.

Campaigners had earlier expressed concern that it would not go far enough.

Before the meeting, committee chair Cllr Reuben Thompstone (Con, Golders Green) had denied the evaluation of changes to the borough's libraries - which are now run He said: "While objectors continue to make a number of claims, the fact remains that our redesigned service has allowed us to keep open every one of our libraries. There is no cover up."

Campaigners from the Save Barnet Libraries group were "cautiously optmistic" after the amendment was accepted.

Emily Burnham told this newspaper: "I think the council is very aware of the pressure we have put them under, they know this review has to be seen to be credible."

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.