CONCERN was expressed last week as to why more parish council representatives did not attend a meeting to discuss the future of Launceston’s library.

The meeting of Launceston Community Network Panel took place last Tuesday, March 22, where an update on the possible devolution of the library to the town council was expected to be heard.

The Launceston Community Network comprises the following parishes: Altarnun, Boyton, Egloskerry, Laneast, Lawhitton, Lewannick, Lezant, North Hill, North Petherwin, South Petherwin, St Stephens by Launceston, St Thomas the Apostle, Stoke Climsland, Trewen and Werrington.

Launceston Community Network Panel includes all five Cornwall Councillors for the area and representatives of the parishes, including Launceston Town Council.

Present at the meeting were representatives of South Petherwin and St Stephens by Launceston parish councils.

Cornwall Council’s community link officer, Chris Sims, told the meeting that a rural parish had asked for an item about the library to be included on the agenda, but they were not in attendance at the meeting.

He said he understood the town council had written to the parishes to see if the council had their support, should the town council decide to take on the running of the town’s library from Cornwall Council.

Mr Sims added: “It was a good opportunity to discuss that and how parishes may or may not be willing to work together.”

Mr Sims said Cornwall Council’s face to face and communities manager Julie Zessimedes had been due to talk about the library, but was unable to attend the meeting.

The town council has commissioned consultants to look at the library, Tourist Information Centre, museum and town hall.

Town clerk, Rita Skinner, said this was to ‘make sure that all the services we have got, we provide them in the right way’. She added the report will come to the town council in April.

She said a survey carried out by the town council last year found a third of all library users that answered the survey came from outside Launceston, adding most people came from South Petherwin, followed by St Stephens and North Hill.

John Conway, clerk of St Stephen by Launceston Rural Parish Council, said: “If the parishes can’t be bothered to attend meetings like this why do they expect the town council to take something on like that?”

Describing the library as a ‘hot topic’, he continued: “To be honest I’m upset more people haven’t come along.

“Cornwall Council is asking the town council to take on the library and the running of it. The response we have got here from the town council’s point of view is parish councils don’t want it.

“It’s disappointing that people from outside the Launceston aren’t here. It’s their library as well as our library.

“Everyone was up in arms when they first thought the library was shutting. It’s a meeting that people should be at.”

He added that his parish council had already voted to ‘put its hand in its pocket to put its share in the pot’.

Mayor town Cllr Brian Hogan said it was not about ‘putting your hand in your pocket’.

He added: “It’s just to show in principle support for taking on the library if the town council decides to.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the next full Launceston Town Council meeting, which takes place on Tuesday, April 19, at 7pm in the Guildhall, Launceston Town Hall.

Launceston Community Network panel meetings are also open to members of the public. The next meeting is currently scheduled for Wednesday, June 15, 7pm, venue to be confirmed.