Libraries consultation – final week

As the 12-week consultation on proposals for radical change to Warwickshire’s Library and Information Service draws to a close, local people are being urged not to miss their opportunity to join more than 4,000 people who have already responded to the consultation. 

All consultation questionnaires, whether handed in at a library or completed online, have to be in by Thursday, June 9. The consultation aims to give people the opportunity to have their say on plans to reshape the library network and cut costs. 

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships, said: “This will be the biggest transformation in the history of Warwickshire’s library service so I urge local people to make their views known by returning the consultation questionnaire before this week’s June 9 deadline.” 

The Library and Information Service must cut spending by £2 million over the next three years as part of Warwickshire County Council’s plans to achieve required savings of more than £70m across all services. 

Sixteen Warwickshire libraries have been identified as no longer sustainable in their current form, alongside other cost-cutting measures including reduced opening hours, reductions in the workforce and mobile library fleet, and cutting the number of public computers across the library network. 

So far more than 4,000 people have completed questionnaires – 2,025 handed in as written questionnaires and 2,050 completed online. Many hundreds of other people have visited roadshows and public meetings to find out more about the proposals for the future of the service. 

There have also been about 3,000 visits in the last few weeks to a dedicated online blog bringing the latest information about the consultation at www.libraryconsult.wordpress.com 

Councillor Hayfield said there had been strong interest from a number of communities interested in setting up their own libraries. 

“As well as offering staff support to communities preparing business plans, the County Council has set aside £100,000 to help volunteer-run library projects get off the ground,” he said. “We are also prepared, in principle, to consider leasing council-owned library buildings at a peppercorn rent to communities submitting a strong business case.” 

All consultation feedback received by 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. 

More information, along with the library consultation questionnaire, is available in all Warwickshire libraries and online at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/facingthechallenge 

Consultation progress can also be followed by Twitter www.twitter.com/warksdirect or via the consultation blog at www.libraryconsult.wordpress.com

Libraries consultation – a week to go

The 12-week consultation on proposals for radical change to Warwickshire’s Library and Information Service is drawing to a close.

All consultation questionnaires, whether handed in at a library or completed online, have to be in by June 9.

The consultation aims to give people the opportunity to have their say on plans to reshape the library network and cut costs.

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships, said: “This will be the biggest transformation in the history of Warwickshire’s library service so I urge local people to make their views known by returning the consultation questionnaire before the June 9 deadline.”

The Library and Information Service must cut spending by £2 million over the next three years as part of Warwickshire County Council’s plans to achieve required savings of more than £70m across all services.

Sixteen Warwickshire libraries have been identified as no longer sustainable in their current form, alongside other cost-cutting measures including reduced opening hours, reductions in the workforce and mobile library fleet, and cutting the number of public computers across the library network.

So far the consultation has seen more than 3,000 questionnaires returned, of which 1,500 have been written questionnaires, while more than 1,700 have been completed online.

Councillor Hayfield said there had been strong interest from a number of communities interested in setting up their own libraries. “As well as offering staff support to communities preparing business plans, the County Council has set aside £100,000 to help volunteer-run library projects get off the ground,” he said.

“We are also prepared, in principle, to consider leasing council-owned library buildings at a peppercorn rent to communities submitting a strong business case.”

All consultation feedback received by 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.

Help for communities

Following feedback at public meetings new guidance has been launched for communities who might be interested in running their own local library as a part of the Warwickshire Library and Information Service proposals for a transformation of the service. 

The consultation on the future of the service continues until June 9, but already feedback from public meetings has indicated that the public would like a guiding hand if they are to consider running a library. 

As a result the service has produced a Business Case document for a Community Library or Community-run Library Service, which aims to provide guidance and a framework for groups as they prepare a business case in their area. 

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio Holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships said: “We are in the early stages of consultation but we have already had strong interest from a number of communities who are interested in setting up their own community libraries. 

“We recognise that local people may require assistance with start up costs and that is why we are setting aside a one-off capital fund of £100,000 to support communities to set up their own library. 

“We are also making the process easier by offering staff support to help local people to submit their business case and offer advice on a range of operational issues to help build a sustainable model for the future.” 

The application packs for grants are now available and community groups will have until 9 June to submit their proposals. 

The support on offer includes: 

· Warwickshire County Council is setting aside a one-off capital fund of £100,000 to support communities in the setting up their community library.

· Where the Council accepts a community library business case, and the library building is owned by the Council, it is prepared in principle to lease the premises to a Community Group at a peppercorn rent for an initial period of one year.

· After that, subject to annual review of the services being provided, the lease may continue at a peppercorn rent, or at less than market value, for a period of up to 5 years in total.

· The tenant will be responsible for all repairs from the outset.

· Current book stock will be available.