Forum fails to turn a page in library argument

GEELONG library campaigners fear they are no closer to a resolution to retain opening hours despite making their feelings known at a well-attended councillor forum on the weekend.

A full house of around 120 people packed Geelong West Town Hall on Saturday for the event, where residents from across the municipality has their say on a proposal to cut services opening hours amid a funding dispute between the City of Greater Geelong and the Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation (GRLC).

The forum came following frustration at the city’s handling of noisy protests at last month’s council meeting, where some attendees were barred from entering the council chamber, and mayor Trent Sullivan refused to extend public question time beyond its allocated 45 minutes to allow all submitters to be heard.

Cr Sullivan was among the councillors who attended Saturday’s meeting, along with councillors Anthony Aitken, Melissa Cadwell, Eddy Kontelj, Jim Mason and Ron Nelson.

Save Geelong West Library spokesperson Kathleen Riches described the meeting as passionate but respectful on both sides, but said community members were disappointed to leave without a commitment from councillors to fill a funding shortfall.

“They listened to what we had to say, which was the main reason for the meeting – to get those concerns people had submitted to council addressed,” she said.

“We were disappointed that there was no funding [commitment].

“Councillors still are saying that the money can be found, but pretty much sounded like it needed to be still found from the library corporation.”

Cr Sullivan said the city remained in contact with community members and library managers about the issue as a final decision on its budget approaches.

“It was good to attend the forum alongside my fellow councillors to speak with and listen to the community. I certainly appreciate the passion for our region’s libraries,” he said.

“Our discussions with the GRLC are ongoing and we are getting much closer to agreement about how they can operate all of our region’s libraries with the level of funding available, without the need for service reductions.”

The City of Greater Geelong increased its funding allocation to GRLC by $240,000 in the next financial year, under its proposed 2023/24 budget.

But GRLC says it is still $762,000 short of the funding required to operate at full capacity during that year, with a new library at Drysdale recently opened and another at Armstrong Creek due to be ready early in 2024.

The city hosted submissions hearings on its budget across two nights this week.

The Geelong Times understands about 1,000 residents and organisations made submissions about the city’s draft 2023/24 budget over the course of its month-long exhibition period.

A final call to adopt the draft budget is due at the City of Greater Geelong’s next council meeting on June 27.