Bromley Council is struggling to realise plans to privatise its libraries after suffering a “double blow” to plans, losing their partnership with Bexley Council and their preferred contractor.

Bexley Council pulled out of their joint plans, announcing that they are scrapping privatisation plans and planning instead to “take the library forward through continued in-house management”.

This follows the withdrawal of Bromley Community Link, the preferred bidder for the volunteer library contract, from the tender process last month.

Unite has been fighting to prevent the changes from going through for more than a year.

Led by the union’s branch secretary Kath Smith, they are redoubling their efforts to stop the privatisation in the wake of this “double blow” to Bromley Council.

MORE TOP STORIES

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “This is another blow to Bromley council’s plans to sell-off the borough’s treasured libraries.

“Surely it’s time for the council to drop its misconceived privatisation.

“Let’s not forget that 80 per cent of the public who responded to the public consultation on the future of the libraries disagreed with the council’s plans.

“Workers have been fighting against the cuts and the privatisation since April last year and they will continue to fight the cuts.

“Many council workers have taken over 30 days of strike action in this long campaign. It’s a testament to their determination.”

Unite will be holding a lobby on October 12 at the executive meeting of the council.

Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Councillor for Renewal and Recreation, said: “The Council’s plans have not changed and the tendering process is continuing, with proposals being evaluated and when we can say more, we will.

“It is important to note that there is no sale being proposed here at all.

“This whole process is ultimately about protecting our library service and this means looking carefully at all the options.

“The economies of scale and efficiencies that a potential tenderer could provide could bring forwards savings which will allow us to maintain the current library service.

“Apart from the multi-million pound investment in libraries in recent years, there is still the potential to bring forward library upgrades and potential savings by developing existing sites and this is exciting but is still at an early stage.”