A councillor and former library worker has attacked the decision to close the ground floor information centre in Central Library to make way for toilets.

Socialist Karen McKay said the decision reveals the city council’s attitude to the library. Currently the city lags behind in proposed new national standards for library provision.

The information centre at the central library in Smithford Way has been earmarked as the venue for toilets following an outcry over the lack of facilities for shoppers.

A hunt around suitable properties revealed that the library was the best place for the toilets.

The public information centre will be closed and moved upstairs – much to the annoyance of library staff who say it will put many people off coming in for information.

Cllr McKay, who represents St Michael’s ward has now written to Cabinet members lambasting them for the decision.

She said:

“We have waited far too long for new city centre toilets, yet in all that time the only location you can find is one already being successfully used as a public service.'”

As an ex-employee of the library service and also a member of the Best Value Review into library provision in Coventry, Cllr McKay has raised concerns over the disruption this will cause among many other changes being implemented in the service.

She said:

“This seems to sum up this council's attitude to the library service  - which is why Coventry has been falling below other authorities in its provision for libraries.

“Our libraries are well appreciated and staff work hard to provide as good a service as possible, but the city council does little to encourage this when at a stroke they can create such upheaval within the service with almost no regard for the consequences.'”

She added that there is anger at the way the decision has been made as neither staff nor library users have been consulted.

Cllr McKay said this is despite claims by the council that consultation is a high priority.

She said: