The Friends of Sanderstead Library have produced the following flyer which they will be distributing. If you would like a copy to distribute to your neighbours please email us and we can send it to you.

Sanderstead Residents’ Association

Save Sanderstead Library

Croydon Council has earmarked Sanderstead library for closure as part of a programme to change how library services are delivered.

The Council are currently in the consultation phase (until April 19th), but say that if library services are removed from the building, they want the community to take it over and run it. If this does not happen, they will sell the site to the highest bidder.

Croydon has cut its library budget by more than £800,000 since 2019. Croydon spends less per head on its library service than any other London Borough and has fewer libraries per head than most of London and many metropolitan areas of similar size outside of London.

The Council Says:

Some libraries aren’t as well used as they used to be.

We Say:

The main reason for this is because libraries aren’t open as often as they used to be. In fact, Sanderstead library is very well used by a broad range of people.

The Council Says:

Too much money is tied up in library buildings.

We Say:

The non-staff costs of Sanderstead library are only £51,000 a year. To close a library and lose for ever a much loved, well-used public asset for such meagre savings makes no sense.

The Council Says:

Sanderstead library would need to have money spent on it for it to comply fully with Equalities legislation.

We Say:

Yes, this is true, but the Council has capital money that can be used for this purpose. Some areas have used modular buildings to provide extra accessible space. These buildings are very cost effective and can be built in weeks.

The Council Says:

People from Sanderstead could travel to Purley or Selsdon library.

We Say:

Sanderstead has a very high percentage of older, less mobile people. Some are frail and Sanderstead library is a lifeline for them. Making journeys to other libraries is not feasible for many of them. The extended opening hours at Selsdon and Purley will be for a self-service library. This does not replace a library worker.

The Council Says:

New Addington and South Norwood libraries will be retained and developed as Community Hubs even though library usage is much lower than in Sanderstead.

We Say:

Community Hubs are a very good idea. The same effort that is being put into New Addington and South Norwood should be put into developing Sanderstead library as a Community Hub. Although Sanderstead does not have the same levels of deprivation as New Addington and South Norwood, its community does have needs too in terms of old age, frailty, loneliness and isolation.

A Joined-Up Solution

Sanderstead library is the only publicly owned building in the area, it should not be closed. It should be retained as a library and developed as a Community Hub.

The Council should increase its library budget to at least 2019 levels. Rather than thinking of the library service in isolation, the Council should work across departments and with health colleagues to access funds and other resources that would meet the costs of the Community Hub.

The new Hub would be an ideal setting in Sanderstead for the Council and their health colleagues to deliver a broad range of services to the community in line with their strategic aims. For example, their Carers’ Strategy and their Health and Well-being Strategy.

What Can I Do to Help Save Sanderstead Library?

Spread the word to as many people as possible.

Write to the Mayor, mayor@croydon.gov.uk; your M.P. chris.philp.mp@parliament.uk;

your Councillors, yvette.hopley@croydon.gov.uk; lynne.hale@croydon.gov.uk; helen.redfern@croydon.gov.uk; and Cllr Stranack (the Cabinet member responsible for libraries) andy.stranack@croydon.gov.uk;

Take part in the consultation, feel free to use our points above to help formulate your answers: https://www.getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/libraries-services-consultation

As well as completing the online questionnaire, you can also send your ideas to: librariesconsultation@croydon.gov.uk.

Stay in touch with the SRA to let us know your views and see what you could do to save the library. http://www.sanderstead-residents.co.uk ; follow us on Facebook.

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