Bradford Council is cutting funding to libraries by 65% over the next 2 years, which amounts to £2m in cuts.                              https://www.thebookseller.com/news/bradford-libraries-face-2m-cuts-935561

And surprise surprise, Bradford Council's Kersten England is one of the highest paid Chief Execs in the country, taking home £182,064 a year. https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/16149537.top-bradford-council-earners-revealed/

I am submitting this petition to say this is unacceptable to the people of Bradford.

We call on Bradford Council to cut back on your fat cat salaries and save our library service.

As a mother of two young children, local library services have been a lifeline to me over the past 5 years. Providing activities for children and an opportunity to get out into the community without incurring any cost, libraries provide a vital hub for people with young children. Libraries have given my children a love of books and reading, something that will last a lifetime. We cannot stand by and let a resource be cut which encourages literacy and love of books, and which gives equal access to these important skills and interests to all children in our community, including the 21.8% living in poverty.

Austerity has disproportionately impacted on the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities. It is not just young families that will be impacted by these library cuts. The Universal Credit system is an online system, meaning those who are claiming benefits are totally reliant on access to the internet. However 1 in 10 households in the UK still do not have internet access. This is another vital service provided by our local libraries. We cannot allow another austerity cut to continue its devastating impact on our society's poorest people.

Social isolation is rife in our communities. As a mother of young children and disabled woman I have experienced this isolation and being able to access library events and weekly rhyme time sessions has often provided a lifeline of social interaction for me. But it is elderly people who are most impacted by social isolation. The campaign to end loneliness details research that shows lacking social connections is a comparable risk factor for early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and is worse for us than well-known risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/loneliness-research/ Libraries are a hugely important place for people experiencing social isolation, particularly older people. Elderly people may have been visiting their local library for much of their life and have precious little other opportunity to interact with the wider community. We cannot allow Bradford Council to further increase the social isolation in our communities by cutting our library funding, a move that will disproportionately impact on our elderly community members.

Please sign and share this petition and lets show the fat cats we will not take anymore cuts to our communities.