Facing the challenge on libraries
Public sector bodies throughout the country are having to deal with the national debt. Over the next three years Warwickshire County Council will have to reduce its budget by up to £60 million across all of its services.
The pace and magnitude of the financial challenge requires large scale reform and this will mean difficult decisions across services including the Libraries and Information Service which must cut £2 million from its £7.4 million budget.
Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships, said: “We are reviewing the network of libraries and opening times, and we propose to consult with residents on the entire service between March and June this year. Final decisions will be made only after this process and we expect to have further details in July.”
Cllr Colin Hayfield said the county’s library service had been undergoing change for some time, to reflect the changing way people access information, books and its services.
“As part of the transformation 15 libraries have received makeovers, and this work has seen the introduction of self-service equipment, alterations to some for on-site children’s centres, new one-stop-shops in five libraries, an iPod-style audiobook pilot, the free e-book service, and the launch of Books on Prescription in conjunction with NHS Warwickshire.
“The reality of reductions in funding that the council is facing means we cannot afford to sustain the library network in its current form,” he said. “A review of library support, technical and management costs is being undertaken and we expect this will deliver around half of the savings. However we have been cutting these kinds of backroom costs every year for several years and now we cannot avoid the need to look at libraries themselves.
He added: “Financial pressures are an undeniable factor as the library service must reduce its annual operating costs by £2 million over the next three financial years.
“It is a stark fact that 90 per cent of our library visitors use only half of our libraries.
Cllr Colin Hayfield, said: “We must question the practicalities and public value of trying to maintain 34 separate library buildings, when integrating and co-locating some libraries with other local services would be more cost-effective and help improve service delivery to the public.
“A review has been carried out of all 34 libraries and careful consideration has been given to a number of factors including the number of visits and issues per hour, nearest library and existing or potential partnership links.
“The following 16 Library buildings have been identified as being no longer sustainable in their current form:
Baddesley
Harbury
Bedworth Heath
Hartshill
Bidford on Avon
Henley in Arden
Binley Woods
Keresley
Bulkington
Kineton
Camp Hill
Kingsbury
Dordon
Studley
Dunchurch
Water Orton
“The aim would be to look at alternative ways of providing our service to these customers and the Council is open to looking at how this could be done with local communities.
“In addition there will also be a need to reduce the opening hours in the remaining libraries. The precise hours and days of opening will be discussed with local communities as part of the proposed consultation process for these changes. The initial proposals are:
Proposed reductions/change to opening hours:
Libraries
Average hours open
Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington,
Up to 50 hours a week
Alcester, Atherstone, Bedworth, Kenilworth, Polesworth, Southam, Stratford, Warwick, Up to 35 hours a week
Coleshill, Lillington, Shipston, Stockingford, Wellesbourne, Whitnash, Wolston Up to 20 hours a week
Cllr Colin Hayfield concluded: “What we will need to know now is what people think of these proposals. We need to make the savings, and something must change. We aim to issue full information and begin a consultation process from March to June in which we shall seek everyone’s views on the changes, and we pledge to take these into account before any final decisions are made.
“As part of the decision making process, discussions with communities will look at a range of options for the provision of a library service for the community. For example, through consultation communities may express an interest in providing a volunteer-run service. Communities would need to come forward with a robust business case which we will explore with them.”
A report on the Library and Information Service will be considered by Overview & Scrutiny Councillors on 1st March and then will go to Cabinet on 17th March for consideration.