Proposals to create a library service in Redcar and Cleveland, designed around the needs of residents and communities and fit for the future, will be discussed by the Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, 24 October.
Members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s Cabinet will be asked to agree to a 12-week public consultation exercise which if approved will begin in November and provide residents and stakeholders with the opportunity to express their views on the proposed vision for library services in the area.
The Council currently provides a library service in 13 buildings across the borough which are delivered in the form of four community libraries, six library and customer service points and three library and community hubs. Opening hours range from 14 hours per week to 47 hours per week. All libraries provide a range of books, meeting spaces, computers, printing and WiFi as well as events and activities. There is also a wider digital offer through the virtual library. The service also offers a home delivery service for people who have access problems and who cannot access the library.
A comprehensive review and needs assessment of the library service started in October 2022 to help develop an understanding of how to develop the service and achieve efficiencies. The review included public consultation which saw 711 responses to the survey which provided more intelligence on library usage, perceptions of the service and what people wanted. A summary of the findings are available at Agenda Document for Cabinet, 24/10/2023 10:00 (moderngov.co.uk)
The review helped the Council to identify the changing needs of the library service and how to shape it for the future. The new library service is designed around a physical library offer, a digital library offer and a community/outreach library, including a home delivery service. From this a new vision has been created and the following priority focus areas created to drive forward the service:
- relaunch and market the library to users and non-users to increase engagement and awareness;
- strengthen delivery and create programmes of work that support the library offer;
- develop an ambitious plan for outreach and partnerships;
- provide a strong literacy, reading and engagement offer for all ages;
- increase the quality of the activities and programmes delivered;
- create a service that supports the health and wellbeing of our communities;
- develop a more sustainable and resilient library service.
The research found that the way residents use libraries is changing. Over the last five years in Redcar and Cleveland there has been a 57% decline in active library members and a 58% decline in visits to the libraries. There has also been a 49% decline in books issued and a 72% decline in computer use. Despite this digital borrowing continues to grow and the service has experienced an increase in attendance for events and activities.
The proposed changes to be consulted on include:
- due to the lack of usage, the Council is proposing to protect the public purse by closing Brotton and Roseberry libraries – both libraries fall into the lowest usage for visitors, book borrowing and computer use. Both are on public transport routes and close to alternative libraries for existing library users;
- enabling Laburnum and Dormanstown libraries to be turned into community run venues – these libraries also have low usage however there is interest in the venues remaining for community use. The Council will look to engage with interested parties as part of the consultation process;
- expanding the lease arrangements of Grangetown library with Grangetown Generations to encompass the whole building. Consultation would take place to explore whether the library offer should be retained. This would still remove the staffing and management of the building but library book stock would remain and a self-serve point would stay in place;
- reducing the opening hours across the eight libraries – Redcar, Guisborough and South Bank from 47hpw to 40 hpw. Keep Loftus a 31 hpw. Reduce Skelton, Marske, Ormesby and Saltburn to 26.5hpw.
The proposals would deliver an annual saving of approximately £400,000 from 2024/25. Alongside the savings, the Council will also look to invest an additional £10k into the book stock budget – feedback from the needs assessment highlighted that this was important to residents and will remove late fees which are often a barrier to continued engagement.
Cllr Carrie Richardson, Deputy Leader for the Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Culture, said:
“Due to the changing needs of what people want from the library service, decreasing budgets and the need to ensure we have a library service fit for the future it is important the Council takes a thorough review of the service and how it could look.
“We know libraries are highly valued by our residents and if the plans to go out to consultation are approved at the Cabinet meeting later this month, I would encourage our residents to let us have their views on the proposals.”