RESIDENTS have been left “dismayed” at plans to close a much-loved library in Holland-on-Sea.

As many as 25 of Essex’s 74 libraries look set for closure under new plans by Essex County Council.

A review will take place after the authority admitted traditional library use has “collapsed” in the last ten years.

About 800 people work in Essex’s libraries and job losses have not been ruled out.

Holland Library, in Frinton Road, has been earmarked for closure, while County Hall bosses hope Brightlingsea, Frinton, Walton and West Clacton libraries will be run by community groups.

Clacton Library has been listed as a “hub” library.

Verity Coulthard, chairman of Holland Residents’ Association, said: “The association is dismayed at the proposed closure of the Holland Library, which is a well used and much-needed service in the community.

“The residents’ association will be challenging Essex County Council on the justification of closure and will prove that the demand and usage is one of the highest per capita in the county.

“This specifically relates to the age demographics of Holland-on-Sea along with issues of loneliness and isolation and lack of private transport.

“We would advise all residents to contribute to the consultation and the association would welcome the opportunity to work with Essex County Council to seek new and innovative ways of providing a library service in Holland-on-Sea.”

Susan Barker, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for customer services, said libraries are not used by the majority of residents.

She added: “Of those residents who are library users, only one in five is an active library user.

“Technology has transformed how people read books and access information and entertainment, which is why we must look critically at our current library locations and respond to these changes.”

She declined to answer how much money might be saved by the changes.

“This isn’t about saving money, this is about making sure people have libraries they want to use.”

Unison’s Eastern regional manager Tim Roberts hit out at the proposal is “threatening to rip the heart out of our communities”.

The council will begin a 12-week consultation on November 29 and final proposals will be published in June next year.

To take part in the consultation, go to essex.gov.uk/libraries-consultation.

UNISON comment on Essex County Council libraries closure plans

Commenting on Essex County Council plans to close 25 libraries and turn 18 other over solely to volunteers, UNISON Eastern regional manager Tim Roberts said: “Essex County Council is threatening to rip the heart out of our communities.

“If the only thing libraries did was make knowledge available to all, then these closures would be an act of cultural vandalism – but the fact is they do so much more, from children’s story times to helping elderly and vulnerable people connect with the world around them.

“And we can’t run a high-quality and accountable library service on goodwill alone. If we want our kids to fall in love with reading, we need properly trained, properly paid staff to guide them through the process in properly resourced libraries.

“Instead the council is telling our children that their futures don’t matter.”