On the 3rd of December at its full Council meeting Moray councillors voted to accept an option that reduced the opening hours for 4 of is libraries. Elgin would be reduced from 53 to 48 hours. Keith would be reduced from 30 to 24 hours, Cullen from 12 hours to 10 hours and Tomintoul from 11 to 10 hours. This was not a cost cutting exercise as the overall library services increases opening hours from 241 to 242 per week under the proposal accepted. The report was written with the aim of rationalising a 72% variation in opening hours across the 11 libraries, where the calculations were based on Borrowings, Footfall, Population and Membership.
Back in February 2025 when the various library campaigning groups collectively fought the closure of 7 of 11 libraries on the basis that libraries are more than book borrowings, they provide added value through digital inclusion, literacy clubs, reading groups and represent more than a warm safe space, but the last free safe civic space available to residents.
Moray Council in February 2025 released the following in a press release:
‘A new option, which was Agreed By Consensus Across The Chamber, will consider co-location opportunities within schools, ringfencing any capital receipts coming from the sale of library buildings for investment into the libraries network of buildings. THERE WILL BE NO REDUCTION OF OPENING HOURS, AND COUNCIL STAFF WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO REVIEW OPENING HOURS ACROSS ALL 11 BRANCHES, TO ENSURE LOCAL NEED IS MET. They’ll report back to Full Council in August on any proposed changes to ensure consistency and that hours are aligned to usage.’
Local authorities are meant to be above the normal political malaise of PROMISES MADE, PROMISES BROKEN and take on board the wishes of their communities.
In developing this ‘transformation report’ there has been minimal public engagement, and a rapid timescale to push the report through. User groups were formed with ‘invited‘ users from each library, to give their ideas on developing the library services. The proposals presented to the Cullen library users’ group, all three of us at the meeting, who were presented with this option, and rejected it, but their views have been effectively ignored.
This is BEAN COUNTING at its worst. I sat in Cullen Library and watched a pre-school group called ‘Bookbugs’, I saw the enthusiastic young librarian work with these children, I heard their laughter and saw the joy on their faces. Two of the four libraries [Keith and Cullen] are facing cuts and were those who fought hard against closure.
It may well be Panto season, but there are no magic beans and to paraphrase the words often heard in a panto WE ARE NOT BEHIND YOU!.
In fairness, Moray Council were always going to come back at us one way or another. If this was Mother Goose and Moray Council was in the lead role, you just laid a rotten egg. As one councillor who proposed an alternative pointed out it seems strange that the libraries who fought hardest to save the libraries are punished.
The Cullen and Deskford Community Council meeting on the 16th of December, has the libraries report on its agenda. I urge as many people as possible to come along help us to make your voices heard, and give us your backing to take up the fight. Les Tarr, Chairperson CDCC.
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