by Ben Goldstone, Croydon and Sutton Socialist Party
Croydon Tory council closed the doors on four libraries in November. The council announced that this closure would allow it to increase the opening hours and offer more services at the remaining nine libraries.
They have also been forced to put on a shuttle service for residents whose local library has closed down, to ferry them to the nearest library. It’s only for particular days, but it shows the pressure councils are under from residents not to make cuts.
The council has announced they could open up closed libraries as ‘community hubs’, but this time only run by residents and community groups. These public services should be staffed by workers. The unions have huge power to fight these cuts.
In a consultation, two thirds said that they opposed the library closures, ignored by the council. Labour and Tory councils in Croydon had already reduced library opening hours, and cut funding by £800,000 between 2019 and 2022.
Residents’ council taxes have increased by 21% over the last two years, with another 4.99% increase proposed for this year. Residents continue to pay more, whilst receiving less.
Libraries offer a vital service to the community. Not just books, but computers with internet, a warm place during the winter for people unable to afford their heating, and company and community for those experiencing loneliness.
The council says it will provide more activities and events, and a library outreach service. But this will pale in comparison to having an actual local library.
Croydon Council should not be closing some libraries to fund others. Instead of cuts to public services, there should be a massive expansion.
The council is mired in financial disrepute, announcing ‘bankruptcy’ three times since 2020. This meant unelected commissioners were sent in to make cuts, which Labour and Tory councillors did nothing to oppose. And now it’s a Labour central government instructing commissioners to make cuts in Croydon.
Local councils should be fighting for funding from central government, instead of passing on cuts to the working class. The money is there in society, so that these public services can be properly funded, it just lies in the hands of the capitalist elite.
Labour and Tories have shown that they are not willing to fight for this funding. We need a mass anti-austerity workers’ party that will fight for a socialist alternative, where we can decide how society is run, and how public funding is spent.