New council administration reverses self-serve reservation charges

The fee to reserve books at Essex County Council’s 74 libraries is set to be scrapped by the authority’s new administration.

 

The recently introduced changes came in this April. They introduced a £1.15 fee for reserving books for most customers. Children, teenagers and some concessionary groups were excluded from the charge.

 

The council’s new administration has announced it intends to reverse the decision. This was made as part of the previous administration’s budget.

 

Councillor Peter Harris, Leader of Essex County Council’s Reform UK Group and Leader Elect, said: “We want a library service which everyone in Essex can use without having to fork out for the privilege of doing so, particularly as 2026 is the National Year of Reading.

 

“Our view is that this was a tax on reading and learning. I am very pleased as one of our first actions, we are committing to the removal of such an unfair imposition on library users by the previous administration.”

 

The decision will be approved by Full Council at its meeting on 28 May, subject to ratification of the appointment of Councillor Harris as Leader of the Council.