Liverpool Council is in a dispute with Alt Valley Community Trust over alleged unpaid debts threatening the future of two community libraries
Eileen O’Shaughnessy has used Dovecot library since she was a child
The closure of a library over an alleged unpaid debt to Liverpool Council would be a “great loss to the community and the people that use it.” As of last month, the city council stopped providing funds for library services in Dovecot and Breck Road operated by Alt Valley Community Trust (AVCT).
According to the local authority, this is due to “substantial” debts owed by the trust. As a result, Liverpool Council said it would not sustain existing grants, in the region of £50,000.
Since 2015, both libraries have been managed on behalf of the council by the charity. The city’s deputy leader said last week how funding could be turned back on if part of the debt, thought to be near £800,000, is repaid.
The ECHO spoke to users and staff at the site following a demonstration outside the library last week. Dozens gathered outside Dovecot Multi Activity Centre (MAC) to make their voices heard in support of the libraries.
Users chanted “save our library” amid blustery conditions as Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby and city councillors joined the demonstrators outside the library. A sign inside the library read: “Due to the actions of Liverpool Council, the library may be forced to close within the coming weeks.”
Eileen O’Shaughnessy was one of the demonstrators outside the MAC and has visited the centre since she was a child using the library. She said: “For one thing, it was somewhere to go and we used to enjoy it, and we used to have all kind of activities on as well which we used to enjoy.
“It was like our place to go where we could sit, read, do what we like. I’ve moved now, I don’t live in Dovecot anymore, I live in Old Swan, but I still come.
“It’s always been a big part of my life. Kids need books to read, don’t they? I know that the older kids use computers and stuff like that, but you still need a library.
“Mothers need to bring their children here, don’t they? It’s a place for them to come, they can read whatever you want, borrow what books, because some mothers can’t afford to buy children books. And here, you can borrow them. And what do you think? A big part of it as well.
“I think it would be a great loss. I really do think it’d be a great loss, not only for the community, but for all the people that use it.”
Inside Dovecot MAC
Jayne Webb is a librarian and receptionist at the Dovecot MAC. She said: “In my opinion, reading is the key to learning.
“2026 is going to be the year to encourage everybody to read. Are we going to help by shutting libraries? We do a bit of everything, this is an area that needs to be reinvested in and not facilities taken away from.
“I can be a bit of a counsellor listening to people, so we do a lot more than just lend books. It is where people come for that sense of community.”
Former Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp, joined the campaigners at Dovecot MAC last week. He said the city council should “hold your hands up now and admit that what you are doing is Labour making a cut in cultural provision in two of the most poorly served communities in our city for access to cultural activities.” He added how they could even go one further and “reverse these senseless cuts and work with Alt Valley to provide an even better range of services in two areas which are really cultural deserts.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside last week, Cllr Ruth Bennett, Liverpool Council deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, resources and transformation, said the city wasn’t threatening to close any sites down, but wanted to recover alleged debts. She said: “The issue is with AVCT, we believe they owe us a substantial debt, across multiple services.
“A lot of that debt relates to utilities that are owed on Walton Leisure Centre, and that’s in excess of what we believe is £700,000. There’s also a debt owed on the lease on Breck Road which we value at £80,000.
Demonstrators outside Dovecot MAC
“Now we understand that’s quite a substantial amount and we’ve tried to work with AVCT for a number of years to agree repayment of those debts and what we’ve said during the most recent discussions was, particularly in relation to the libraries, if that AVCT can agree to pay the repayment of the £80,000 they owe us in relation to the libraries, then we continue with the grant funding. Over the recent months we’ve had meetings with AVCT and officers from leisure and finance, we’ve sent multiple emails inviting AVCT to come in and meet to discuss an affordable repayment.
“We’ve offered them extensions to make that repayment but unfortunately nothing’s been forthcoming.”
Barry Kushner, former Norris Green councillor and cabinet member, is business development manager at Alt Valley. He said: “Breck Road should be funded in the same way Fazakerley is.
“It costs us £73,000 to run it and if we were paid the same to manage it, we could afford to make a contribution to the lease.” Regarding the huge utility bill, Mr Kushner said AVCT had challenged the figures, having written to the council in June for clarity on how the figures had been reached.
He added: “We’re not saying we won’t pay a bill but it’s got to be right.” Mr Kushner also rejected Cllr Bennett’s assertion AVCT had access to additional funds that would sustain the library saying “we don’t have spare cash lying around, if we owe payments, we are of course going to pay it.”