Issue - meetings

Report DRR14/054

Members considered the results of the staff and library user consultation that had been undertaken since the R&R PDS meeting held in April 2014.  In response to the outcome of the consultation, the report made a number of recommendations to achieve the necessary budget savings for 2014/15.

To maintain an effective service within the reduced operating hours and staff hours, it was necessary to install Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) equipment in all of the borough’s libraries at a cost of £275,000 to enable full customer self-service.

Staff Side Secretary, Mr Glenn Kelly addressed the Committee. Mr Kelly stated that despite the fact that 2,000 people signed a submitted petition requesting that the proposals be dropped, their pleas had gone unheard.  The current proposals before Members had not differed from those previously considered.  A proposed total of 306 working hours would be deleted from front line posts.  Mr Kelly alluded to the survey carried out which at no time asked the public if they were against the proposed cuts.  Referring to the closure of the mobile library, it was noted that 43% of the public interviewed claimed that this service was their sole means of access to books.  Of that 43%, nearly 50% used the service on a weekly or fortnightly basis. 

Whilst staff were concerned about their future and possible cuts to their salaries, the Authority was prepared to spend £275k on installing IT equipment in all libraries and was prepared to set aside a further amount of money for future maintenance work. 

In summing up, Mr Kelly urged Members not to accept the recommendations in the report and speaking on behalf of staff and public users, requested that the proposals be dropped.

The Chairman made the following statement:-

'I want to commend officers for an excellent report on this controversial subject.  Approximately 400 libraries in the UK have been closed - not a reduction in hours, but closed.

This Authority is required to save over £5.2m in the next financial year which is a major challenge to every department in the Council; doing nothing is not an option and what we are doing now is not an option.

Over past years, the Authority has undertaken a number of consultations, surveys and public opinion to look at libraries in detail, hours, numbers attending and purpose of visit.

At my last meeting on 1 April 2014, I asked all assembled to contact me about their concerns.  Out of the 20+ who attended that meeting, only one made contact with me, for which I was grateful.

We are in austere times and decisions have to be made but as I have said numerous times, this is a great opportunity to review our libraries.  What could we offer better, how can we engage with the public better and not lose a service but enhance that service with a wider remit.  How can we work smarter, use local resources, provide a hub that not only has books but many other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9