Calls have been made to keep Macduff Library open to prevent nearly £100,000 of recent improvement works from being “put in the skip”.
Troup councillor Ross Cassie has slammed Aberdeenshire Council for proposing to close the facility just five years after carrying out major upgrades.
And he has called for a rethink until there is further information to justify the closure.
This came amid fears that the local authority could end up being dragged to court if they don’t hold proper consultation before making a final decision.
The local authority announced they want to close 13 facilities across the region in a bid to save crucial cash back in November.
They were expected to close by the end of December.
But following backlash from furious residents, the council agreed to host public meetings in each affected area to see if there are other alternatives.
What could happen to Macduff Library?
The Banff and Buchan area committee was recently briefed on what residents in Macduff, Cairnbulg and Rosehearty had to say about the looming closures.
Members were told there had been a particularly large turnout in Macduff, with scores of “very committed folk” showing up to fight for the town’s library.
Twelve residents have formed a Friends of Macduff Library group and are interested in potentially taking on the site through a community asset transfer.
However, council officers explained that the high street building is too expensive to run at the moment – especially given the amount of hours it’s actually open to the public.
Councillor Ross Cassie argued that shutting the library is not the right way forward, stressing that the facility is still very well used even with the limited opening hours.
He also expressed confusion as to why it was put on the list of under-threat libraries in the first place, given that they spent nearly £100,000 to upgrade it just five years ago.
Mr Cassie said: “Macduff has had an awful lot of money spent on it just recently – windows, lighting, automatic doors, furniture, at a cost of around £95,000.
“That is a lot of money being spent there for it now just to be put in the skip.
“Why not look at all of the buildings and come to a joint up solution?”
‘There will be uproar if the library closures are not justified’
Meanwhile, councillor Glen Reynolds raised concerns over the consultation process and demanded they hold further talks with communities before any closures are made.
The future of the library will be decided in two weeks, and potentially shut in March.
But Mr Reynolds thinks this is not enough time to make a “well-informed decision”.
He said: “What terrifies local communities is the fact that this is the start of a process, and yet we are looking at closing buildings at the end of March.
“I just can’t see it happening, we need to be realistic about this.
“It would be negligent to make a decision to close the library based on the information we have today…There will be uproar.”
Fears of legal threat if the council makes a ‘rushed decision’
Mr Reynolds also raised concerns over making a “rushed decision”, which could put them at risk of a legal challenge – much like their Aberdeen counterparts two years ago.
Aberdeen City Council were almost taken to court after they voted to shut six libraries to save cash in 2023.
However, they managed to dodge that bullet after a humiliating climbdown where bosses admitted the consultation they carried out could have been improved.
Mr Reynolds added: “One size does not fit all and each library has to be considered on its own merits along with the views of the community.
“The options on the table were simply not set out and the detail required was clearly not going to be provided in time.”
In the end, the committee recommended the three libraries remain open.
The final decision will be made at the communities committee meeting next month, where members will consider proposals from all of the affected areas.
Read more:
Conversation