Dunne welcomes council assurance on libraries
27 April 2010

Ohariu MP Peter Dunne is welcoming a Wellington City Council assurance that it is proposing no change to local library services.

“Libraries are the life blood of our communities, and I was extremely concerned at suggestions the Wellington City Council was looking at cutting back library services as part of the current Annual Plan discussions.

“I have now seen a report from the Council’s community services department offering reassurance that no cuts to existing libraries are under consideration,” Mr Dunne said.

“This is extremely good news, and means that the future for libraries like Tawa, Johnsonville, Ngaio and Khandallah looks positive,” he said.

Mr Dunne noted that when the Christchurch City Council under then Mayor Garry Moore reviewed Christchurch library services a few years ago, it came to the conclusion that libraries were a valuable community focal point for many people, including senior citizens, and people based at home, and that, as such, their status needed to be retained and enhanced.

“I am sure the same goes for Wellington with our spread out communities, and I am pleased that the Wellington City Council also seems to have recognised this point,” he said.

Ends

Mark Stewart | Press Secretary | Office of Hon Peter Dunne
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