Steve Reed, left, with Robert Gibson and a group of library users in Upper Norwood yesterday
The chairman of the Upper Norwood Library Trust yesterday told how he wept when the doors to the library were closed for the first time as a result of funding cuts imposed by Croydon Council.
Robert Gibson was speaking to a public gathering outside the building, with the library facing another round of cuts from Croydon and Lambeth councils, who until recently had operated the amenity jointly for more than a century. On this occasion, Gibson and the campaigners had the support of Steve Reed OBE, backing which could yet prove critical to the library’s future.
“We know that Lambeth and Croydon are faced with cuts,” Gibson said. “But it is not hard politics to ignore a community. What is tough is how to deliver what a community wants, and find the funding to support this. This is what we want our local politicians to do. Stand up for Crystal Palace and make things better for the entire community.
“We don’t want pledges of support if that is not backed up with action and funding that supports this sentiment.”
