Residents of Reddish have expressed frustration that their area receives 'absolute zilch' from Stockport Council, amid fears that the historic Reddish Library could be lost forever. The Manchester Evening News was told that buckets have to be put out when it rains and 'rot is spreading' at the building.
The library, built at the beginning of the 20th century after Reddish joined Stockport borough in 1901, once housed a swimming pool and a community centre. However, the baths closed in 2005 after the council cut funding to the Stockport Sports Trust, and the community centre was later forced to shut following a roof leak. Now, the library has had scaffolding up for over three years due to defects in the brickwork, and trees can be seen growing out of the roof.
Residents Speak Out
Andy Stewart and Paula Rands, who are concerned about the library's future, said the building used to be a popular hub but now damp is seeping through the walls. Paula, a former library employee, said a hole in the community centre's roof was reported repeatedly for years before a storm caused a major leak, forcing the building to close. She contrasted Reddish's plight with the £20 million investment in a new community hub in Marple, stating: 'What does Reddish get? Nothing, absolute zilch.'
Paula added: 'The library wall gets wet and they have to keep coming in to remedy that. It's like hitting your head against a brick wall. I am not complaining about our Labour councillors because they are banging their heads against a brick wall. They have tried everything. It feels like one half of Stockport gets all the money and this half doesn't get anything north of the river. We are isolated from the rest of Stockport when you look at the map. I think that is why it gets forgotten about.'
Political Criticism
Reddish North councillor Rachel Wise, who leads the borough's Labour group, criticised the lack of a long-term plan for the library. 'What is the long-term plan for Reddish Library? Because right now there isn't one. The building is open, but there are buckets catching rainwater, the ceiling is in an awful state and the rot is spreading. After more than three years of scaffolding, residents still haven't been told what repairs are needed or when they'll happen.' She added that the building 'desperately needs shoring up' and that it is 'far more than a place to borrow books.'
Stockport MP Navendu Mishra also slammed the council over the £30,000 cost of the scaffolding and the lack of a long-term solution. 'That raises serious questions about value for money and the lack of urgency from the council. In what is the National Year of Reading, it is simply unacceptable that Reddish is being left with a library building that is visibly deteriorating while other parts of the borough receive significant investment. My constituents feel, once again, that Reddish is being overlooked.'
Council Response
However, council cabinet member for libraries, Coun Dan Oliver, defended the council, saying: 'To try and blame Stockport Council for “political decisions” and prioritising other parts of the borough is irresponsible and completely untrue. We have consistently advocated for every single part of the borough, and every single resident within it.' He accused Stockport Labour of finger-pointing at the council instead of challenging their own Labour government, which he said had failed to fund Stockport fairly, ignored appeals for funding for Lancashire Hill, omitted the borough from its £600 million recovery grant, and ignored calls to fund urgent repairs at Stepping Hill Hospital.
