Calls for MP Huw Merriman to become involved in questions over library services in Pevensey Bay through his parliamentary offices increased this week as news rippled round the Bay about the ‘temporary facilities’ that have been offered by East Sussex County Council.
The issue has dragged on since January this year when Pevensey Bay Library was closed as a result of flooding.
Bay Life went to visit the new facility last week (September 3) to discover what residents have been offered. It turns out to be a set of three small mobile shelf units.
The new ‘temporary facility’ is wedged in the half corridor in St.Wilfrid’s Church Hall that leads to the toilet.
From what we have discovererd it is reasonable to say that the general consensus about what has been offered amongst residents is not positive.
Embarrassment seems to be an underlying theme shared by a number of key stakeholders.
We understand East Sussex County Council is concerned because hardly anyone is utilising the facility. Surely this can not be a surprise?
In practical terms almost no facility is offered.
Can we be forgiven for thinking that what is on display is a PR exercise of some description?
Have the reports in the press and the leaflets distributed around the Bay led people to believe that there was to be more on offer?
The Eastbourne Herald (19 August) reported that; “the service, accessible from Monday to Saturday from 10am to noon or whenever the church hall is in use, will fill the gap while the main library, in Richmond Road, is closed”.
Was this information supplied by East Sussex County Council? If so, it is inaccurate. The facility offered fills the gap in the small space next to the toilet at St. Wilfrid’s Church. It does not fill the gap left by the closure of the library.
Cllr Chris Dowling, county council lead member for community services, said: “While this is only a temporary solution, it will offer a valuable service for people in Pevensey Bay, allowing them to access library services in their own community once again”.
What has been offered does not in any meaningful way provide a temporary solution.
The flood that caused the library to close was in January. We are now in September. Mention has been made publicly by the Council that there are legal issues with the landlord. What is at issue with the library in relation to the landlord has never been fully explained.
In August we were offered the following comparison by way of an explanation by Councillor Dowling;
“I’d like to thank residents for their patience, and to acknowledge the community spirit of the church and local people which has made this temporary provision possible.
“It’s vital that the flooding problems which have plagued the main library are properly addressed before we can consider reopening the building.
“The flooding in January took a considerable toll on the library, causing damage to floor coverings, furniture and fittings.
“This is the latest in a series of floods, and I’m sure people would appreciate that we cannot waste taxpayers’ money on refitting and restocking a building which is just going to keep flooding.
“If it was their home, people would want to be sure the underlying problem had been solved, and for the same reason we want to resolve these issues before we reopen the library.
Is Councillor Dowling being serious? If you have damage by a flood to floor coverings, furniture and fixtures in your home are we expected to believe that it takes nine months for the issue to be sorted out?
Is the comparison with a home useful?
Pevensey Bay Library is a public facility. It is not Councillor Dowling who is the homeowner, it is the public. As a point of comparison East Sussex County Council does not have ‘a concerned homeowner’, the Council has three vibrant communities that have been made homeless for nine months.
We talked to a number of people who have visited the new temporary facility. They told us of their disappointment.
Frank McSweeney (as in the Professionals as he grinningly explained) lives at the North Harbour down the road. He was not impressed with what he saw.
He told us that Pevensey Bay library was his closest facility and how much he missed the library.
He explained that he would walk to the library to utilise the facilities often, browse the newspapers and talk to the staff, borrow books and utilise all the resources.
He appeared astonished looking at the small shelf units offered as a resource.
He told us; “to be honest I just want the library back”.
No other residents visited the resource whilst we were there. The visit was for approximately 45 minutes.
We moved to a local cafe to talk to people about the issue. We saw a number of leaflets about the facility displayed.
A group around one of the tables offered to talk about the issue.
One of the group told us “a temporary mobile library could have been better”.
Val Racher, who is a local resident in the Bay, told us that in her view East Sussex County Council had a case to answer with the offering of the mobile shelf units as a ‘temporary solution’.
“They are just trying to fob us off, it’s a minuscule effort just to say there is a presence”.
“What about the other services?”.
“The aim is to get a permanent library, surely the combined brains of East Sussex What’s-it could provide something more meaningful?”.
The situation with Pevensey Bay Library has dragged on since January this year when the much loved and utilised facility was flooded.
East Sussex County Council, to their credit, informed the community that there was a problem with re-instating the facility. Equally to their credit, they have kept the local community informed.
The Council has been open and transparent with the feedback that they offered, but sadly the temporary facility offered is something of a farce.
Residents are now increasingly angry about the issue. The ‘facilities’ at St. Wilfrid’s Hall from September 1, after nine months of ‘discussion’ about the issue is now clearly a thorn in the side of some of the residents in Pevensey Bay.
What hope can the communities of Pevensey, Westham and Pevensey Bay have that their precious library will be re-instated given the on-going nature of these ‘discussions’?
East Sussex County Council is acting in an honourable way in informing the local communities that the library will be back. We have to hope that they will keep their word.
They have an estates manager and a legal team looking at the issue. It should not be impossible for them to find a solution. Is this not what they are paid to do?
A problem about a hole in the floor of the library and flooding and ‘discussions with a landlord that are ongoing’ after nine months, sadly, is simply not good enough.
We lost our bank and we nearly lost our post office. We are not going to lose our precious library.
The librarian who was on duty when we visited the mobile shelf unit was courteous, professional and listened to what we said.
She chose not to comment about what was being said about the facility but was good enough to offer to pass our comments on to the appropriate managers concerned.
Is it time that the local MP Huw Merriman stepped into the situation? He has shown his mettle in the short time that he has been our MP with some hard hitting words and deeds with local issues that have highlighted issues and found solutions.
Is it now time that he raised the matter through his good offices? The situation can not continue in this way.
The Council have done their best to keep the local community informed about the situation.
Sadly though, the situation with regard to Pevensey Bay library has collapsed into farce.
What is important after so long is that a resolution is found to the problem, and found soon.
What has been offered at St. Wilfrid’s Hall is not a meaningful temporary solution of any description.
Simon Montgomery
editor, Bay Life
East Sussex County Council was given the opportunity see this article before publication. They have explained that they will offering a response as soon as is possible.
