Campaigners fighting to save six libraries which have been shut in Aberdeen were left “disappointed” as Humza Yousaf showed no signs of stepping in to keep them open.
Residents reacted with fury when council bosses closed half-a-dozen libraries across the city for good in a bid to save £280,000.
Locals who say they should remain open urged the new first minister to intervene and give funds to his Aberdeen SNP colleagues.
But Mr Yousaf insisted the closures were not his government’s responsibility despite recognising the importance of libraries to communities.
The SNP leader, who took the reins this week, was grilled over the severe council cutbacks by Labour North East MSP Mercedes Villalba during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.
He said: “We place great importance on public libraries and we believe that everyone should have access to those public libraries.
“Equally, it is often the case that members across the chamber quite rightly believe, as I do, that decisions for a local authority should be made by the local authority.
“Aberdeen City Council’s plan to close libraries will be extremely difficult for the library staff and the community. However, we recognise the financial challenges that local authorities are facing.”
But Laurie Mackay, from campaign group Save Aberdeen Libraries, criticised him today for failing to take immediate action to help.
She told the Press and Journal: “We would love Humza Yousaf to visit Aberdeen and speak with us. We’re disappointed with his response.
“We would like him to intervene and give funding to the council that’s needed to keep these libraries open.
“There were words that he recognised the importance of libraries. The action – or lack of action – speaks differently. And we need action.
“He’s following his own party line. The fact is he is now the leader of the SNP. It’s an SNP local council.
“I assume the reason he gave that statement is because he doesn’t want to make his own party look bad.”
‘No clear plan’
Ms Mackay added: “We know that these closures do not recognise that several of these libraries are in deprived communities. It’s going to increase the attainment gap.
“There’s no clear plan for where the groups and activities that happen in these libraries go. There’s nothing as of today for some of these communities.
“If you can’t afford a bus fare and you have to travel to get to another library, or if you don’t have the ability to do so because you’re disabled or elderly, what then?
“They’ve done it so quickly that there’s some people who aren’t even aware their library is closing.”
READ MORE: The Aberdonians I met in a week working from six libraries being shut
Cults, Kaimhill, Woodside, Northfield, Cornhill and Ferryhill were all locked up for the final time on Thursday as councillors ignored the ire of protesters.
Bucksburn Swimming Pool is also set to shut for good on April 16.
Aberdeen council bosses claim they need to plug funding gaps, but they have been criticised for dishing out money to pet projects instead.
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