The excellent blog – The Bookworm Turns has for the past few weeks tracked the progress of the discussions over the future of the libraries in Walsall. At the cabinet meeting tomorrow (17th November) the future of these libraries will be finally decided.
At the moment we have 16 libraries in Walsall and some think up to 8 could be closed and Pheasey has to be a consideration given the already limited opening times but ANY closure of any library is to be regretted even when money is tight. I look back at when I used to visit the old library opposite the shops and must have read hundreds of books from there from Wilbur Smith to World War 2 history books.
We have heard little from the local councillors (all three being in cabinet does not help) at the moment so if Pheasey is to be closed they will have to answer to the voters of Pheasey, whose nearest library would be at Kingstanding, obviously in Birmingham.
No matter the economic circumstances should access to reading ever be limited ?
News and Views about Pheasey Park Farm 
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I don’t use the library but my mother is an avid reader and gets through a couple of books a week. Even a reduced opening hours library that is local is better than no library at all. Why should Pheasey council tax payers have to use Birmingham facilities i.e. Kingstanding when they live in Walsall?
totally agree Duncan, there again I want us to move to Birmingham so would work then !
but in all seriousness, we have no options to use any other Walsall library without a decent bus journey to Aldridge if that survives.
Therefore I suspect that at the meeting tonight the library at Pheasey will survive as three cabinet members as local councillors do help š
I’ve been a member of Pheasey/Park Farm library since i was about 10 or 11 years of age; and i’ve taken out on loan literally hundreds of books in that time. Much of the research needed for all 3 of my published books; and my latest completed novel (recently submitted to my publisher) was conducted at PPF library; so of course i feel it would be a bad day indeed for our suburb if we were to lose such a valuable facility; especially in light of the fact that the previous shambolic Euro Labour Government and the current LibCon coalition have been and are handing over an eye watering 45 to 50 million pounds of UK taxpayers money every single day to the unaccountable, massively corrupt and widely loathed European Union. Money that should stay here in the UK and be spent on UK citizens and to run much needed and much loved public amenities such as our library services.
Just posted Steve that it appears the future of the Library is secure, however that should not negate the future of other libraries in the area, not one should be closed.
Hi Ian,
It’s good news that it appears the future of Pheasey/Park Farm library is secure.
I couldn’t agree with you more regarding our other 15 excellent libraries across the Borough; Not one of them should be closed. Before any cuts here in Walsall are made all MBC payments from our council tax to utterly useless quango’s such as the Local Government Association (which should be abolished immediately) should be stopped; and all council officers with non-jobs relating to climate change, Town twinning, ‘elf n’ safety, EU ‘yuman’ rights, the European Union or any form of ‘political correctness’ whatsoever should be handed redundancy notices as early Christmas presents from hard pressed and long suffering Walsall residents.
steve, been discussing that further with people today and they think Pheasey is most definitely in the firing line. I am basing my optimism on the distance from Aldridge Library but the figures for Pheasey do not add up compared to others.
It will be a battle as the future of the Collingwood centre is up for grabs with that.