Campaign to save town's library dealt fresh blow

Hopes of saving a town's library have been dealt a fresh blow as the building may proceed to an auction sale next month.

A meeting of Kent County Council's (KCC) growth, environment and transport committee on Tuesday agreed the authority would temporarily relocate library services in Folkestone to the former Woolworths building at 14 Sandgate Road.

The final decision to sell the closed, Grade II-listed library building on the open market lies with cabinet member Paul Webb.

Councillor Brian Collins, deputy leader of the Reform-led council, said the "door remains fully open" for alternative proposals for the old library premises at Grace Hill.

Collins acknowledged there were "a lot of passions" among local people to save the building on the edge of the Creative Quarter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The library, in a poor state of repair, has been shut for three years with a short-term facility open nearby.

Collins told the meeting: "There are strong financial reasons why this decision has been brought forward."

He said the holding cost of keeping the building was about £10,000 a month.

Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Prater unsuccessfully called for a delay in the building sale to explore other alternatives and keep it as a community asset.

Joint Labour leader councillor Alister Brady said KCC was "putting profit over people" and suggested any sale should carry a covenant protecting its community use.

Reform councillor David Wimble said the library services were moving to a place that was "fit for purpose".

The decision to sell the building has met with opposition, not least from Tony Vaughan MP, who said he was "livid" about the move.

KCC said the new Sandgate Road library space, which would also be a community hub and house the town's Adult Education Centre, was likely to open in the spring.

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