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Librarians in North Somerset have been “politely” asked not to express their views on major cuts to the district’s libraries while at work or within a library.
All libraries run by North Somerset Council face having their hours cut to some extent and it is “highly likely” that three of them will be closed outright. The council is cutting its annual spending on libraries by £433k — a reduction of about a fifth. But the librarians who face losing the libraries they work at have been told not to speak about the cuts while at work.
Instead librarians have been enforcing a strict “no talking in the library rule” — at least when it comes to journalists. When we spoke to one librarian inside Worle Library, he said he was not allowed to speak to us and we were told to leave.
North Somerset Council said librarians were just following the standard practice of directing media queries to the press office instead of answering them themselves. The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Library staff are also free to express their own personal views on the library consultation, but we have politely requested this does not take place within a library building or within working hours so ‘business as usual’ is not disrupted.
“If they wish to comment, they should respond as a member of the public rather than as a staff member as any ‘council’ interviews should come from the library service’s cabinet member.”
Councillors voted in February to cut £433k from the libraries budget as the council tries to make £44m of savings across the next three years to balance its budget. They will vote in February 2026 on the specific actions to achieve that cut, which could be implemented between summer 2026 and September 2028.
A consultation on how to make the cuts is open until October 24. Worle Library, Pill Library, and Winscombe Library are all under threat of closure under the plans although one library in either Pill or Winscombe could be kept open if the council cuts another £10k from spending on new books and stops opening the Bournville’s Health Living Centre library on Mondays, the council said.
But — despite being the most used of the three facing closure — Worle Library is expected to close regardless. In 2017, North Somerset Council moved the library out of its purpose built 1960s building on The Maltings into a more than 100-year-old former school building on Mendip Avenue, to co-locate it with Worle Children’s Centre in a cost-cutting measure. Now, eight years later, “extensive dry rot” has been discovered in that building. North Somerset Council said: “The council cannot afford the significant costs required to repair and maintain the building.”
Announcing the consultation on the cuts, council cabinet member for culture, leisure, and outdoor spaces Mike Solomon said: “We want everyone to have their say and complete the consultation, which is open from now until noon Friday 24 October. We know and recognise that our libraries are very much loved and at the heart of communities.
“That’s why we are keen to ensure that North Somerset’s future library service is fair, accessible and future proof whilst continuing to fulfil our statutory duty of providing a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service. It needs to meet the changing needs of local communities whilst achieving our agreed £433K savings target.
“By responding to the consultation, residents can inform the council of their needs and how best these needs can be met within the resources available. Your feedback will help us to meet these duties whilst delivering services in new, sustainable ways so please complete the consultation online or request a paper copy by emailing [email protected].”
You can respond to the consultation here.
If you are a librarian who would like to share your views on the cuts with the press, please email [email protected]
