Library refit money spent on shopping centre

Most of the money earmarked to refurbish Grimsby Central Library has been spent on the town's Freshney Place, a meeting was told.

North East Lincolnshire Council was to spend £4.2m bringing the building back into public use.

However, a council budget meeting heard that as the cost of the Freshney Place redevelopment has risen to nearly £50m around £3.7m of the library budget has been reallocated.

Council leader Philip Jackson said funding was available to ensure "any urgent work" could be carried out on the library.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Jackson told the meeting: "We are continuing to look at options as to how we may use the library building in the future.

"There's no intention to demolish the Central Library, it will be a building that remains within our establishment and continue to be utilised."

The library is only open on the ground and first floor.

When the council was awarded £20.9m Towns Fund cash in 2021, this included refurbishment of the library building.

A public consultation on the future of council library services is being carried out.

Proposals include merging Cleethorpes library into the resort's leisure centre.

The council is continuing to "look at options" for the future use of Grimsby Central Library building, according to the LDRS.

The plans for Freshney Place includes a new market hall, cinema and other leisure facilities.

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