Martock Library, described as a "much loved, well used community hub" Picture: Google Maps

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Martock library hours slashed due to lack of funding

Tait ap EllisJuly 26, 20240 Comment0

MARTOCK Library will see reduced opening hours next week after the parish council pulled its funding.

The library will now close earlier on Tuesdays and open later on Wednesdays, with the library now open for an additional hour on Saturdays.

The change in hours is a result of Martock Parish Council pulling their £5,000 funding which provided an additional eight hours of staffing per week.

The parish council said it took the decision following pressures from increased costs due to inflation as well as preparing to take on some services from Somerset Council – an authority which is also feeling under pressure financially as it is faced with a £100 million funding gap.

A spokesperson for Martock Parish Council says although they are pulling their funding, their donation was “not crucial to the running of the library”.

A library user has criticised the move and said it is a “much loved, well used community hub”, which was only recently renovated a couple of years ago.

“I was very sad [to hear about the change in hours]. Locals see it as one of the most important parts of Martock and I don’t understand what the funding will be spent on instead,” they said.

The library user said he often visited the library as the weather gets colder as it offered a “warm and welcoming” place for them to sit for a while and provide company.

They added: “The printing facilities and computers are relied upon by villagers, and the library is a familiar place to go to for elderly people such as myself, who are in need of some company.

“It’s unfortunate that Martock Parish Council do not recognise all that Martock Library has to offer and the impact the reduced opening hours will have on the local and wider community.”

When asked if Somerset Council could step in to help plug the £5,000 funding gap, a spokesperson said “no extra money is available” and no additional funding would be provided for the warm space initiative.

The spokesperson said they have redesigned the core staff rota to minimise the impact, with the opening hours only reduced by seven hours a week, compared to the eight hours previously funded by Martock Parish Council.

The new opening hours from August: