Protest planned against library sell off (From Kingston Guardian)

Protest planned against Surbiton library sell off

9:27am Wednesday 16th May 2012 in News By Tom Barnes

A concerned councillor is rallying residents to join a protest in opposition to a potential plan to sell off a library and learning difficulties drop in centre.

Councillor Karen George is organising the protest after Kingston Council refused to confirm it would not flog Surbiton library and Sessions House, which is also home to a war memorial.

Deputy leader Liz Green spoke in favour of the move at a council assets strategy meeting last month, but played down the rumours, saying there were “no immediate plans” to sell.

Coun George has decided to act as she believes the plans have been in the pipeline for a very long time, accusations denied by the council.

She said: "We must act now and let the council know exactly how we feel about shutting down our libraries.

"If we don’t they will push ahead without really listening to the very people who will be affected- just as they did with the Tolworth Greenway."

Coun George, who represents the Berrylands ward, will be at Surbiton Library at 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon.

She has also started a petition opposing the library sell off, see http://epetition.kingston.publici.tv/epetition_core/community/petition/1870