Charminster Library has been closed since December 2025 following structural damage. Without urgent action, it faces permanent loss through indefinite closure or redevelopment.
Repairs are estimated at £680,000. That is 0.15% of the Council’s total budget.
This Council has approved a £452 million budget and committed to significant borrowing for capital projects. We urge it to apply the same commitment to protecting essential community services.
We call on the Council to:
Commit to a full library service in Charminster, not a token provision tucked inside a redevelopment scheme
Publish a clear, costed plan to repair and reopen the building
Identify funding through the existing capital programme, future budgets, and external sources
Consult residents before any further decisions are taken
Charminster Library serves children, older residents, families without home internet, and community groups who rely on it. Libraries are not a luxury, they are essential infrastructure.
£680,000 is a small sum relative to the Council’s overall budget. There is a path to finding it, and we are asking the Council to look.
Once it’s gone, it won’t come back.
This ePetition runs from 26/03/2026 to 15/05/2026.
174 people have signed this ePetition.