Lib Dems say Haringey Council must press ahead with more library reforms, after worrying new figures show that the number of library visits actually fell again last year.

Figures published in the council’s newly published Best Value Performance Plan show that the provisional figures for the number of visits to the boroughs’ libraries fell, from 4.00 visits per thousand to 3.88 per thousand in the year to March 2002

Haringey Council says the fall is due to long-term under-investment and restrictive opening hours – and now says that both of these problems have been addressed. But Lib Dems are calling for more concerted action to build on recent extensions in opening hours – and for Sunday opening at the borough’s libraries.

Lib Dem Leader Lynne Featherstone comments:

“It is worrying to see the figures drop again in another year. The London average for library visits is still a massive 70% higher than these worrying new figures for Haringey. We must not lose momentum, and we must press on for longer opening hours and Sunday opening.”