More than 1,000 responses in week 1 of consultation

More than 1,000 people have already expressed their views on the future opening hours of Warwickshire’s main libraries. 

Just one week into the four week consultation on the opening hours of the county’s main libraries has attracted almost 700 online survey responses, and almost 500 written survey responses handed in to libraries. 

The Warwickshire Library and Information Service blog www.libraryconsult.wordpress.com has been visited by almost 1,500 people in the first week, many of whom have clicked through to the online survey, general library opening hours proposal document, or the individual library plans. 

The consultation got underway on Monday, November 14, and runs for four weeks until Sunday, December 11, asking local people to decide on the opening hours of the following libraries:

• Alcester
• Atherstone
• Bedworth
• Coleshill
• Kenilworth
• Leamington
• Lillington
• Nuneaton
• Polesworth
• Rugby
• Shipston
• Southam
• Stratford
• Wellesbourne
• Whitnash
• Wolston 

The consultation is on the future pattern of opening hours for libraries remaining under the Library and Information Service control. 

The public consultation, offering two options, is available in paper and electronic formats. The majority vote from the public will decide the future opening hours of the library – the library customers will decide. 

There are two exceptions: Warwick’s new opening hours will match Shire Hall’s opening hours, and Stockingford’s opening hours will match those of the Early Years Centre. 

The new opening hours will be introduced from March 31. More details will be available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries and www.libraryconsult.wordpress.com 

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Access and Physical Assets, said: “We have taken the decision that our customers will decide the opening hours of the libraries. The majority vote will be the option we go with. 

“I’d therefore encourage as many people as possible to engage with this consultation, either via the web, or by popping in to your local library and completing a survey.” 

Meanwhile, Warwickshire County Council continues to work closely with community groups around the county developing new community libraries. All of these should be open and operational by April 1, 2012. 

The transformation of the Library and Information Service is a part of the general financial savings, where Warwickshire County Council must cut spending by more than £70 million over the next three years. As part of the savings plan, the Library and Information Service budget will reduce by £2 million. 

Library opening hours – you decide

The people of Warwickshire are being given the opportunity to decide on the opening hours of the county’s main libraries. 

A comprehensive consultation gets underway on Monday, November 14, running for four weeks until Sunday, December 11, asking local people to decide on the opening hours of the following libraries:

• Alcester
• Atherstone
• Bedworth
• Coleshill
• Kenilworth
• Leamington
• Lillington
• Nuneaton
• Polesworth
• Rugby
• Shipston
• Southam
• Stratford
• Wellesbourne
• Whitnash
• Wolston 

The consultation is on the future pattern of opening hours for libraries remaining under the Library and Information Service control. 

The public consultation, offering two options, is available in paper and electronic formats. The majority vote from the public will decide the future opening hours of the library – the library customers will decide. 

Proposed Library Opening Hours

There are two exceptions:Warwick’s new opening hours will match Shire Hall’s opening hours, and Stockingford’s opening hours will match those of the Early Years Centre. 

The new opening hours will be introduced from March 31. More details will be available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries and www.libraryconsult.wordpress.com 

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Access and Physical Assets, said: “We have taken the decision that our customers will decide the opening hours of the libraries. The majority vote will be the option we go with. 

“I’d therefore encourage as many people as possible to engage with this consultation, either via the web, or by popping in to your local library and completing a survey.” 

Meanwhile, Warwickshire County Council continues to work closely with community groups around the county developing new community libraries. All of these should be open and operational by April 1, 2012. 

The transformation of the Library and Information Service is a part of the general financial savings, where Warwickshire County Council must cut spending by more than £70 million over the next three years. As part of the savings plan, the Library and Information Service budget will reduce by £2 million.

Warwickshire Library and Information Service – latest news

A report is to go to Warwickshire County Council’s Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Monday, October 10, seeking approval for the next steps to be taken by Warwickshire Library and Information Service (WLIS) towards implementing changes to the service following the consideration by Cabinet on 14 July 2011 of the outcomes to the consultation.

The report includes proposals relating to:- 

• community library business case submissions
• community library one-off capital funding applications
• strategy for reconfiguring the mobile library service
• public computer charges

The full public report can be viewed on the link below:

Communities agenda and papers – 10 October 2011 – PUBLIC

Library consultation ends

The 12-week consultation on the future of Warwickshire Library and Information Service has come to an end.

When the consultation came to a close on Thursday (June 9) more than 4,500 consultation questionnaires were returned, around half paper (52%) and half online (48%).

In addition, feedback from 26 public meetings and 39 library roadshows has been recorded, along with the content of more than 500 letters and emails received, and 10 petitions. Sixteen communities have expressed an interest in running their own local library services.

All the responses will now be analysed and reported to Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet, which meets on July 14 to make decisions, following consideration by an Overview & Scrutiny committee on July 11.

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Access and Physical Assets, said: “I thank everyone who has taken part in the consultation. The level of response shows how much Warwickshire people care about their library service. We must now consider the findings and decide how the service will be delivered in future.”

Warwickshire County Council must cut spending by more than £70 million over the next three years. As part of the savings plan, the Library and Information Service budget will reduce by £2 million.

The library proposals consulted upon identify 16 Warwickshire libraries no longer sustainable in their current form, alongside other cost-cutting measures including reduced opening hours, reductions in the mobile library fleet and workforce, and cutting the number of public computers across the library network.

“These are extremely difficult times for local authorities and cuts are unavoidable to achieve the necessary savings,” said Cllr Hayfield.

“I want to reassure people that their feedback will be fully considered. We are not going through the motions – this is real consultation. We need to know what people think of the savings plans, and how they would be affected by them, to help us make the right decisions.”

If implemented, the proposed changes would reshape the library network, creating a three-tier service with three main libraries, 15 local libraries, plus ‘Library Direct’ covering online, mobile, outreach and housebound reader services.

Library consultation has now closed

The Library and Information Service 12-week consultation on future proposals for the service has now come to a close and we are analysing the results.

A report will go to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on July 11 and then Cabinet on July 14, and councillors will consider the contents before making any final decisions on the future of the library service.

During the consultation more than 4,500 questionnaire responses were returned, about 52% paper (2,375) and 48% online (2,201) – and there may be a few more in the delivery system. There were 26 public meetings, plus roadshows at 34 libraries and on five mobiles (plus Stockingford and Water Orton had an extra one each, on request). We received 10 petitions containing, between them, more than 7,000 signatures, plus there have been about 500 letters and emails.

We have heard from 16 communities expressing an interest in running their own libraries.

Library consultation ends today

Today is the last day local people can take part in the 12-week consultation from Warwickshire’s Library and Information Service on the future shape of the service.

So far more than 4,500 people have taken the time to complete the survey questionnaire, either online or in written format at one of the many roadshows and public meetings.

All consultation feedback received by midnight tonight will be analysed and reported to Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet in July. The report will be made public at the same time. Councillors will consider the contents before making any final decisions on the future of the library service.

Consultation ends tomorrow

The 12-week consultation from Warwickshire’s Library and Information Service comes to a close tomorrow.

So far more than 4,000 people have taken the time to complete the survey questionnaire, either online or in written format at one of the many roadshows and public meetings.

All consultation feedback received by tomorrow (June 9) will be analysed and reported to Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet in July. The report will be made public at the same time. Councillors will consider the contents before making any final decisions on the future of the library service.