In a final push to stop the closure of three libraries in North Somerset, two local Green Party councillors have proposed an alternative plan to maintain services. This comes amid growing concerns from parish councils that rural communities are suffering from a steady erosion of vital resources, described as “death by a thousand cuts.”
Earlier this year, North Somerset Council voted to reduce library funding by 20%. Their consultation suggested cutting hours at most libraries and potentially closing three branches—in Pill, Winscombe, and Worle—unless local communities could take over their operation.
Councillors Joe Tristram (Banwell and Winscombe) and Jenna Ho Marris (Pill) have now presented a new proposal to spread the financial savings more evenly across the library network. Speaking at the full council meeting on November 11, Tristram revealed he had changed his position on Winscombe Library after hearing community feedback.
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“Initially, I believed we needed to save the £433,000 over the next two years, and I thought it wouldn’t matter much whether the libraries were council-run or managed locally,” Tristram said. “But after the consultation period, I’m convinced it’s essential to continue funding these libraries directly.”
Council leader Mike Bell expressed openness to new ideas but emphasized the council’s need to meet budgetary savings. “We need solutions that are realistic, achievable within the timeframe, and can deliver the required savings,” Bell said.
The meeting began with passionate appeals from parish council representatives. Archie Forbes, chair of Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council, highlighted the library’s role as more than just a book-lending facility. “Winscombe Library serves as a warm, welcoming hub that combats loneliness and social isolation, especially among vulnerable residents,” Forbes said. He also stressed the importance of the library’s computer and printing services, warning that a mobile library could not replace these vital resources.
Steve Voller, chair of Banwell Parish Council, echoed these concerns, noting the library’s importance to neighbouring rural areas with limited access to alternative facilities. “For many without private transport, traveling to Weston-super-Mare is simply not a practical option,” Voller explained. He recalled assurances made when Banwell’s own library shuttered in 2012 that supports would focus on sustaining Winscombe Library. “The gradual erosion of rural services may seem subtle, but its impact is no less damaging,” he added.
Support for keeping these libraries open continues to grow. Don Davies, former council leader and ex-councillor for Pill, recently joined efforts to save Pill Library and Children’s Centre. Meanwhile, a petition to save Worle Library and Children’s Centre has garnered over 1,000 signatures, highlighting the critical community demand for these resources.