U-turn over art shop closure after outcry
LDRSPlans to close a shop inside a cultural venue have been cancelled following public outcry.
South Tyneside Council had proposed shutting the outlet inside The Word and closing the South Shields venue on altogether on Sundays, in an effort to cut costs.
The decision sparked a backlash from local residents, including animator Sheila Graber who collected more than 1,000 signatures on a petition objecting to the plans.
The council said it had secured additional funding from the government to continue to manage The Word shop for the next year and retain all current library opening hours.
Labour council leader Tracey Dixon said the local authority had "listened carefully" to what residents had told it about the value of its libraries.
"Given the additional funding we have secured through sustained lobbying, we are able to adjust these specific proposals," she said.
"However, it does not alter the scale of challenges facing local government.
"The wider financial picture remains extremely difficult and we have a duty to protect vital statutory services."
'Intense pressures'
The council said it would now revise its draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) proposals for 2026-27 to reflect the changes.
It said the changes to libraries accounted for about £150,000 within an overall savings plan of £11.8m for the coming year.
"The reality is that councils across the country are facing intense pressures," Dixon said.
"One-off improvements to government funding do not resolve the longer-term issues, but they can help us make targeted adjustments where residents have told us it matters most."
The council will vote on the draft MTFP on 26 February.
