NEW LIBRARY TRUSTS TO LUCK

23-10-2007

Funding for Birmingham's new £193 million Central Library is partly dependent on luck according to a senior city official. The startling admission was made yesterday when the scheme was given Cabinet approval.

Clive Dutton, the Council's Director of Planning and Regeneration was answering questions about the £39 million "black hole" in the project's finances which are being underwritten by the local authority.

He said that there would be a windfall from land sales that were either known or anticipated, and failing that there was always what he called "serendipity" - or good luck as it's known to you and me.

This wasn't the only apparent flaw in the business case. Labour leader Sir Albert Bore identified that financial spin-offs from the Arena Central project had already been pledged to the Metro extension so could hardly be used for the library as well.

Then there was the vexed question of what is actually going into the new building, an issue probed by both Bore and Alistair Dow, the Scrutiny Committee chairman.

Dow also took up the campaign by the Friends of the Central Library to ensure that the possibility of refurbishing the existing building in Chamberlain Square is properly assessed.

"If this is not an option, they have to be told why it's not" he said in a quiet rebuke to Council leaders.

Dow's committee has offered to study some of the problematic issues surrounding the new library plan and could still "call it in" - which could delay but not halt the project.

The new proposal wasn't without enthusiastic backers from among the Council's ruling coalition.

Director of Equalities Alan Rudge who is also a board member of Birmingham Rep - a partner in the scheme - said it was "the chance of a lifetime, perhaps the chance of a century" for the theatre.

Cabinet Member for Housing John Lines commented that "the library we have now was never good enough for the people of Birmingham. It was built during the rape of the city in the 60s and 70s".