Councillor hits out at library funding

A councillor has slammed the Liberal Democrats’ U-turn on funding for Delph Library, calling it a party political point-scoring exercise.

Labour councillor Dave Hibbert is the only opposition member of Oldham Cabinet, which on Monday decided to accept a finding by the local government Ombudsman Ann Seex that there was maladministration over the closing of Delph Library for two months in 2006.

The move reverses the decision taken in April this year by the then Labour-run Cabinet which ruled against her recommendation of paying £750 compensation to Delph Community Association, which now runs the library using volunteers.

On Monday, following new legal advice, the Liberal Democrat-controlled Cabinet approved a plan to send two councillors with the £750 cheque to the library.

Councillor Mohib Uddin said the money should be given back to what was a small enterprise.

But Councillor Hibbert said today: “Delph Community Association has more money than it needs.”

He said taxpayers’ money should not be given away in a publicity stunt which was an injustice to the rest of the borough.

And he said plans to give another £20,000 to Delph Community Association from the Liberal Democrat’s revised annual budget were also wrong.

However, Phillida Shipp, the Delph Library co-ordinator, said: “We have to raise £4,000 a year to run the building and pay overheads, so anything towards would be gratefully received.

“But the £20,000 is under discussion and I don’t think we will get that as a lump sum.

“We have a meeting next week with the head of libraries, Sheena McFarlane, so I don’t want to forestall that. But I don’t think it will go towards running costs.”