THE new Conservative administration has vowed to revive the ailing fortunes of Bromley's library services following two damning reports.

It has pledged to act after the reports, which were presented to the leisure and community services committee last week, painted a grim picture of library standards.

The reports, commissioned by the borough's chief librarian, Barry Walkinshaw, reveal £339,000 would have to be spent per annum to ensure Bromley library services meet Government standards over the next three years.

Among the areas in which Bromley's libraries fall short are opening hours, number of visits and book choice.

The reports claim the borough has experienced several years of cuts in funding and, therefore, reductions in the purchasing of stock.

And they also reveal an eight per cent reduction over the past year in book issues sparking fears people are becoming disillusioned with the library services.

Conservative chairman of leisure and community services Councillor Joan Wykes, OBE, is confident of reversing the decline in standards.

She said: “It is depressing to read such reports when only a few years ago our libraries were among the first public services in the country to be awarded a Chartermark for excellence.

“Improving the library service is very much top of the Conservative agenda.

“Libraries are extremely well valued by local residents and we aim to make the service more attractive.”

She added: “We will start by assessing the whole situation and looking at how logical spending can reverse the dip in library standards caused by the former administration.

“I am determined this will happen but we clearly have a mountain to climb with the libraries, thanks in no small part to the financial mess left to us by our predecessors.

“We have to look at the whole financial position as budgets for the year have been set.”

Liberal Democrat chief and former council leader, Councillor Chris Maines, said: “It is great news the new administration is going to invest in libraries because the last time they were in power they shut a library, made drastic cuts in the service and reduced expenditure.

“We will have to wait and see if these pledges become reality.”