Peeblesshire News | News | Library plan anger

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 8th September, 2006 12:07

Library plan anger

PEEBLES councillors have hit out against the council’s executive after they have scrapped recommendations made for the future provision of a library in the town.

The three elected members called the executive under scrutiny when they threw out plans to house books in the old Sheriff Court and instead proposed a new library in the Burgh Hall.

And they challenged council bosses over their lack of consideration for public opinion during a meeting at the end of August.

But after attending council discussions on Tuesday councillor Catriona Bhatia said she was astonished at the lack of consideration given to the well-researched recommendations put forward by the scrutiny panel.

She said: “I don’t think the members of the Executive had even properly read the scrutiny minutes and recommendations, and they certainly did not give them due consideration.

“Instead they steamrollered their original recommendations to ditch the proposal by the Sheriff Court House Trust.

“This means that the only option left on the table is to locate the new library in the Burgh Hall, which the people of Peebles and all three town councillors have firmly rejected.”

Councillors Catriona Bhatia, Graham Garvie and Nancy Norman are now determined to take the matter further and hope to keep the option of using the old Sheriff Court House open.

Catriona Bhatia added: “Neither we nor the people of Peebles are going to accept this ill-informed shoddy decision and we will continue to fight to keep the Sheriff Court House Ttrust’s proposals as an option for a new town library, and to keep the Burgh Hall for its legally protected use as a hall.’

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