Sefton Council Crosby Library improvements are being presented as a positive investment in public space, but key claims about being “brighter and greener” were not supported by the original press release. A subsequent Freedom of Information response has disclosed project costs, procurement information and projected energy savings, but no measured lighting (lux) data was recorded before or after the refurbishment, so the claim of being brighter cannot be substantiated.
On 21 March 2026, Sefton Council issued a press release announcing new artwork and lighting restoration at Crosby Library. The release highlights a mural created by artist Linny Venables in collaboration with pupils from Waterloo Primary School, alongside the refurbishment of 45 chandelier lights originally installed in 1968. The council states that these works have made the library “brighter and greener”. However, the original press release did not include supporting data. Following a Freedom of Information request, Sefton Council disclosed additional information including projected energy savings, carbon reductions and details of the lighting upgrade, although it confirmed that no lux measurements were taken before or after the refurbishment.
The press release outlines two main elements of the project:
- A participatory art installation involving local schoolchildren
- The restoration of chandelier lighting using “energy-efficient equipment”.
It includes quotes from a cabinet member and the commissioned artist, both describing the project in positive terms. It also confirms that the lighting has been refurbished and that the mural is now installed.
The subsequent FOI response has now confirmed that the mural cost £2,700, the chandelier refurbishment cost £10,886.56. The works were funded through Budget Line HL07 procurement (non-competitive), and no external funding was used.
Brighter and greener
A central claim in the press release is that Crosby Library is now “brighter and greener”. These terms have specific technical meanings in public infrastructure contexts. “Brighter” would typically be supported by measured lighting levels, expressed in lux. Public buildings such as libraries are usually expected to meet defined lighting standards to support reading and accessibility. “Greener” implies improved energy efficiency or reduced environmental impact. This would normally be evidenced through:
- Reduced energy consumption (kWh)
- Lower operating costs
- Carbon reduction estimates.
None of these metrics were included in the original press release. The FOI response subsequently confirmed that 45 fluorescent bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs, projected annual savings are 6,953 kWh and approximately £1,585, with an estimated annual carbon reduction of 1,558 kg CO₂. However, the response stated that no lux measurements were taken, before or after the refurbishment.
The absence of recorded lux measurements means the claim that the library is “brighter” cannot be independently verified using objective lighting data, although the council states that success will be assessed through public feedback and noticeable improvement in the previously darker central area of the library.
What an FOI request means
Following submission of detailed questions relating to cost, procurement, and energy performance, a response from the council’s communications team confirmed that the enquiry may need to be treated as a Freedom of Information request. This indicates that the information required to verify key aspects of the project is not readily available through standard communications channels. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, public authorities are required to disclose recorded information upon request, subject to exemptions. This process is commonly used to obtain:
- Financial data
- Internal decision-making records
- Technical assessments
The subsequent FOI response supplied much of the information requested, demonstrating that the evidence underpinning the project existed but had not been included in the original public announcement.
Information in the press statement
The press statement in itself did not give any information on estimates or quotes from the contractors who bid for the contract, or light levels in the library (lux) before or after the refurbishment.
This is standard information typically used to evaluate public spending and infrastructure improvements. Their absence does not indicate wrongdoing, but it does prevent independent verification. Although the FOI response has filled many of the information gaps, some technical evidence, especially objective lighting measurements, remain unavailable. Sefton Local Authority also confirmed that contractor quotations were not broken down into separate design, materials, labour, and installation costs.
The Sefton Council press release relies exclusively on statements from council representatives and a statement from the artist they commissioned, but is lacking in voices from the community served by the library or external experts such as those who might measure light levels.
This means that all perspectives presented originate from those directly involved in delivering or promoting the project. Independent verification is a key component of public interest reporting, particularly where public funds are involved.
The facts as we know them
Based on the press release and subsequent investigation, the following points are confirmed:
- A mural has been installed in Crosby Library
- Local pupils were involved in its design
- Chandelier lighting has been refurbished
- The council states that the building is now “brighter and greener”
The following is now confirmed through the FOI response::
- The mural cost £2,700
- The lighting refurbishment cost £10,886.56
- The project used budget code HL07
- No external grants funded the work
- A selective tender process was used
- Two contractors were invited
- Forty-five fluorescent bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs
- Projected annual energy savings are 6,953 kWh and approximately £1,585
- Estimated annual carbon savings are 1,558 kg CO₂
The principal point that remains incapable of independent technical verification is whether the refurbishment made the library objectively “brighter”, because no lux measurements were taken before or after the works.
Greener and brighter?
“The FOI response substantiates the council’s claims of improved energy efficiency through projected energy and carbon savings, but the claim that the library is ‘brighter’ remains unsupported by objective lighting measurements because none were recorded.” The Crosby Library improvements represent a completed public project, but the available information does not extend beyond descriptive reporting. The FOI response substantially increases transparency by providing financial, procurement and environmental information that was absent from the original press release. However, because no lux measurements were taken, the council’s claim that the library is “brighter” cannot be independently assessed against objective technical evidence.
The Local Authority’s confirmation that detailed questions will be addressed through the Freedom of Information process establishes a clear route for obtaining that data. The FOI response answers many of the outstanding questions but also confirms that some evidence, including measured lighting data, does not exist.
This makes scrutinising whether the expense of public money was worth it more difficult.
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