Flintshire faces library closures, parking charges and extra transport costs as cuts start to hit hard

Dec 9 2010 by Kathryn Quayle, Flintshire Chronicle

FLINTSHIRE residents could see libraries closed, car parking charges rise and free transport for pensioners cut as the county council attempts to save £10m-13m in the next financial year.

Proposals for the first wave of long-awaited spending cuts have been presented to councillors in a document compiled by council head of finance Kerry Feather entitled Flintshire Futures.

KATHRYN QUAYLE looks at the some of the blueprint’s key points and how it will affect people across the county

Cuts to library services ‘disgusting’

THE closure of libraries in Bagillt, Garden City, Gwernaffield, Halkyn and Queensferry – which the council says are the least visited in Flintshire – would save the authority £283,000.

And the reduction of the mobile library service to just one vehicle would save £120,000 over three years.

Cllr Chris Jones, county councillor for Sealand and a Queensferry community councillor, described the plans as ‘disgusting’.

She said: “Not all areas of Flintshire are affluent and a lot of young children in the area haven’t got home computers of their own.

“Many youngsters go to the library to use the computers to do their homework.

“This is another facility being taken away from this end of Deeside. It is like we don’t exist, they forget about us. I am furious.”

Cllr David Wisinger, county councillor for Queensferry, added: “It is a crying shame that they may take these facilities away from people.

“A lot of the people who use the library can’t afford to buy books and they will lose out.

“The amount of money they would save by closing this library would be a pittance.

“The service is used by everyone in the community as well as the adjoining John Summers High School.

“If the council wants to save money they can save it in other ways, such as getting rid of expensive managers – they should not take away our frontline services.”

Bagillt councillor Mike Reece said there would be ‘uproar’ if the library in the village was closed. “We haven’t got much in Bagillt as it is, without taking away the library,” he added.

“Now people will have to go to libraries in Holywell and Flint.”

Anger at car park plans

PROPOSALS to jack up car parking prices in Flintshire’s town centres have also been met with criticism.

If the recommendations outlined are ratified, the cost would rise to 50p per day at all car parks in Mold and Holywell, generating an extra £938,000 for the council, and the same charge would be introduced at council-owned car parks in other towns.

A charge of 20p for up to one hour would be rolled out across all council car parks in the county.

Connah’s Quay councillor and Flintshire Labour leader Aaron Shotton said that introducing charges to car parks in Connah’s Quay would be ‘devastating’ for the town.

He said: “It would kill off footfall and would be a backwards step following the regeneration of the health centre and the town.

“Connah’s Quay and the whole Deeside strip would suffer.”

Buckley town and county councillor Ron Hampson said: "I'm very much opposed to car parking charges in Buckley. It will be a real body blow to the town which is already struggling, losing shops and businesses.

"We should support our town centres in this financial climate. If the charges come in in the new financial year, people will go to Broughton or Asda where the parking is free. There will be a back lash in Buckley."

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami said car parking charges being increased would come as a blow to areas already affected by competition with large superstores or retail parks on their doorstep.

"Look at the number of empty shops on our high streets," he said. "I am not convinced that charging customers to choose the high street over out-of-town supermarkets will do anything but kill off the remaining small retailers."

‘Tough’ decision on transport for OAPS and disadvantaged

FREE transport for pensioners and people with learning difficulties who attend a day centre could also be cut, saving £2.6m over three years.

Cllr Carol Ellis, Flintshire County Council’s executive member for social services, said it was an emotive issue as the decision would effect real people.

She told the Chronicle: “It was a difficult decision and I didn’t think it would come to this, but the cuts have to come from somewhere.

“If you take into account inflation, the fact that more people want to use services and that the local authority is set to lose £450,000 in income that is generated from domiciliary care, cuts will have to be made as the money will only stretch so far.

“I regret having to be in this position, but the plan isn’t set in stone.”

Leisure services hit hard

Other money-saving proposals outlined in the Flintshire Futures document include:

Increasing leisure tariffs between 5-10%, plus a further inflationary increase of 3%, which would save £84,000 over three years.

Closing the cafes at Flint and Holywell leisure centres, which would save £51,000 over three years.

Shutting the creche at Flint Pavilion would save £18,000 over three years.

Reducing the amount of times windows are cleaned at council offices and buildings – which would save £15,000 over three years.

Giving town and community councils control of public toilets, which would save £457,000.

Opening youth clubs on two nights instead of three, saving £9,000 in the next three years.

Operating a reduced service at Hawarden Records Office, for example opening on four days a week and decreasing staff numbers, would save about £83,000 over three years.

Closing leisure centres at Connah’s Quay, Hope and Saltney would save £504,000 over three years.

Cuts hit most vulnerable - MP

ALYN and Deeside MP Mark Tami hit out at Flintshire County Council after the proposed cuts were revealed this week.

He said: “The council are as usual targeting the most vulnerable in society.

“The knock-on effect of these type of cuts is that the elderly and those without transport or much money will be punished because of their situation.

“The council needs to look to protect its most vulnerable residents and I do not think what is being suggested helps at all.”

But County Hall chiefs say the plans have not yet been formally approved.

A spokesman said: “Flintshire will have to find efficiencies and savings upwards of £10m for next year. Workshops were held in October to share with members the efficiency options being considered for the 2011-12 budget.

“At these workshops members asked for some additional information and this was distributed to them on December 3.

“A report is being prepared for executive on December 21 with the latest position regarding 2011-12 budget proposals.”