Over 2000 people sign Lib Dem petition calling for Surrey's Performing Arts Library to be saved
Liberal Democrat county councillors have handed in a petition with over 2,000 signatures calling for Surrey's Performing Arts Library to be retained. It follows a consultation held by Surrey County Council which outlined 3 options for the Library - closure, fragmentation of the service across other libraries or the service by being provided by another organisation. The Library, which is currently based near Dorking at Denbies Wine Estate, houses a unique collection of music, theatre, orchestral and dance materials available for public loan.
Cllr David Goodwin, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Communities, said today:
"I am pleased that so many people have called for the County Council to retain this unique and highly regarded service. It is clear to me that residents want to see this jewel in Surrey's artistic crown preserved for future generations. Fragmenting the service will just lead to a slow death over a number years and so that cannot be an option. With some imaginative thinking and by working with residents and other partners, the County Council needs to come up with a workable plan which will see the Performing Arts Library thrive for years to come".
Cllr Hazel Watson, who represents the Dorking Hills, said today:
"Alongside residents, I fought hard to save this unique service previously and am doing so again as part of the current campaign, so I know just how important the Performing Arts Library is to residents across the County and beyond. The strength of feeling and appreciation of the service by users is very clear, and the County Council must acknowledge this when deciding the future of the Library. Thousands of residents have enjoyed theatrical and musical performances thanks to the quality of the Library's stock, and it would be a grave error to deny future audiences access to such a wonderful resource".
NOTES
A link to the petition can be found here - it will be discussed at the next meeting of the Council's Cabinet on 28/11/17:
The future of the service was discussed by the Communities Select Committee on 7/11/17 and the agenda can be found here: