Falkirk Council: Lift to finally be fitted in Bo';ness Library - after five year delay

Falkirk Council says the lift is now in place and they are waiting for a chairlift to be installed before the upper floors of the building will be open to the public as intended.

The work was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but a Bo’ness community activist says many people still cannot understand why it has taken so long to complete work on the 17th century building.

Madelene Hunt is chair of Bo’net, the Bo’ness Networking Group, which supports charities and community groups in the Bo’ness area.

“News of the upstairs re-opening at Bo’ness Library is welcome,” she said. “However, the delays involved in this project are of concern.

“Funding was secured to deliver this project five years ago in 2019. Councillors gave the green light to a lift being installed, and other access improvements, at the end of that year.

“Then came delays, apparently due to the pandemic and the historic nature of the building.

“We’re sympathetic about this – to a degree.

“But whole streets have been built in Bo’ness since 2019. Why does it take such a long time to put a lift in a library?”

The project was agreed in 2019 when funding became available from a £50 million fund to help boost town centres.

Community activists initially suggested installing a lift to make space upstairs more accessible.

When asked about the long-awaited project, Falkirk Council said: “The community-led Bo’ness Library Accessibility Project will improve the accessibility for all members of the local community via the introduction of a platform lift providing access to the upper floors and meeting rooms.

“The project has stalled whilst we await installation of the chair lift to ensure compliance with Building Standards and we hope to have the venue fully complete and operational in May.”

But Ms Hunt says it is misleading to call it a “community-led project”.

She said: “The community certainly highlighted the funding and pressed for the access improvements. However, the delivery of the project has been very much led by the council and I know many people have been frustrated by the delays on this project and the poor communication with locals.

“The upstairs meeting spaces at the library are now due to re-open in May. Of course, this is the same month when another community space is taken out of action – the enforced closure of Bo’ness Recreation Centre, despite the strong opposition of local residents.

“There are also concerns about the long-term futures of other community buildings run by the council – Bo’ness Town Hall and Kinneil Museum.”

She said community activists in Bo’ness had wanted a much larger revamp of the library building – including a refresh of the décor and flooring downstairs, as well as new meeting spaces, to make the library a “true community hub”.

“Sadly, that fell on deaf ears – even when additional funding became available.

“Given the substantial levels of capital funding being spent in the central Falkirk area, we hope Falkirk Council also remember to deliver decent investment in Bo’ness and Blackness.

“We have a growing community, contributing more and more council tax revenue to the coffers of the local authority.”