The County Council budget included plans to transform four libraries into Living Well community hubs, but Ryhall's future remains uncertain.
Last night, villagers protested outside the meeting of full council at Catmos and called for answers in the budget debate. Today is the last day of a consultation into how best to deliver library services in East Rutland. Rutland County Council last night said they'll make a decision on the building in April, and it's likely to be Cabinet who decide its fate. Andrew Nebel from Ryhall Parish Council is disputing the costs that the county council say could force its closure.
"We've looked at all of the numbers they've produced and they're greatly inflated, and most of them seem to be around trying to improve the library so it can house Living Well services. Well, frankly, it is a library. It is fit for purpose as a library, first and foremost, and it only needs a catch up of the backlog of repairs. Rutland County Council have admitted there's a backlog. They've not done anything since 2021. And now they're trying to argue it's too expensive to make it safe and habitable for both the public and for staff. Well, it is, and it can easily be done. We've had a surveyor come in, and he's done a report, and said he'd be surprised if you need to spend more than £10,000 in the coming year, and probably another £15,000 over the next three. Now that's nowhere near the quarter of a million pounds that Rutland County Council have said is necessary, so we're challenging those figures."
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