Overturning of library move could cost council €350k

A CASH-STRAPPED local authority could be facing a penalty of more than €300,000 after voting last night against relocating a public library.

Cork City manager Joe Gavin accused councillors, who voted in 2008 to proceed with relocating the St Mary’s Road branch on the city’s northside, of “flip-flopping” on policy decisions.

Earlier this year, he signed an offer and acceptance deal with a developer to relocate the library to a new unit in Blackpool shopping centre.

The deal, with Blackpool Developments, was for a 25-year lease on a 11,600 square foot unit in the shopping centre, at €116,000 a year. It also provided for a break out clause after five years.

But councillors voted 15 to 11 last night against proceeding with the relocation, forcing the city to pull out of the lease deal.

In normal commercial lease arrangements, parties that pull out can be penalised with the equivalent of three year’s rent.

If that happens, the city could be forced to pay out €348,000.

Mr Gavin said last night’s vote will have consequences and said he will have to “reflect” on the new situation.

The vote followed a lengthy and heated debate over the future of the library at the top of Shandon Street in the city. Councillors agreed in July 2008 to relocate the facility and build a modern replacement library.

But last June, councillors did a U-turn and voted to postpone the closure pending “proper consultation” with the community.

In a report to council last night, Mr Gavin that 1,300 questionnaires were distributed to local residents, schools and community groups in recent weeks.

Of this, 1,166 that were returned, 809 were in favour of relocation with 357 against the proposed move.

He also presented figures which show that of all the city’s public libraries, St Mary’s Road has the lowest number of members and the lowest number of issues.

Cllr John Buttimer said the figures speak for themselves.

But Cllr Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin, maintained that at no stage was agreement ever reached to relocate the library to Blackpool shopping centre.

Labour’s Catherine Clancy said while the St Mary’s Road branch was “past its sell-by date”, she said locating a new branch in the shopping centre will not be money well spent.

St Mary’s Road library was one of the city’s first public library branch offices to open outside the city centre in 1971.