Council urged to take back control of libraries
A REVIEW IS NOW SET TO TAKE PLACE
UNDER-THREAT Derby libraries must remain open and be brought back under full council control, worried councillors are demanding.
Derby City Council has announced that the future of ten Community Managed Libraries (CML) in the city will be placed under review. These are libraries dotted around the city which are run by volunteers. They are: Allestree Library, Allenton Library, Blagreaves Library, Chaddesden Park Library, Chellaston Library, Derwent Community Library, Mackworth Library, Sinfin Library, Spondon Library and Springwood Library.
The review comes after a new report stated that Derby-based charity Direct Help and Advice (DHA) “has recently confirmed to the council that it is unable to continue to operate CML’s within the existing budget threshold”. The charity has been in charge of the voluntary-led libraries since 2017.
The review was set to be agreed on by Derby City Council’s ruling Conservative cabinet at a meeting yesterday. Derby City Council says its aim is to “develop greater partnerships to meet changing needs of communities”. Charity organisation
Community Action Derby (CAD) is set to lead the review, which will explore “options for a sustainable library provision that meets the needs of its communities following the COVID pandemic”.
But the cabinet will also have to consider fresh calls from the council’s executive scrutiny committee which wants the council to take back full control of the libraries following a meeting on Tuesday evening.
Labour councillor Martin Repton said he believes the council’s latest financial position allows the authority to ensure all the libraries under review have a long-term future. A new Derby City Council finance report states “the general fund revenue outturn position is an underspend of £2.836 million”.
Councillor Repton said at the meeting: “Times and needs may have changed but there is still a need in communities for libraries, library facilities alongside other community facilities.
“The recommendation I’d like to make is this – in light of the current state of the council’s finances where this is an underspend, executive scrutiny requests cabinet to confirm that our much-loved libraries will remain open in the future and cabinet must also explore the possibility of bringing them back under control.”
Fellow Labour councillor Alison Martin echoed the same beliefs. She said: “I wasn’t in favour of having Community Managed Libraries because evidence from across the country does show that after a period of time the model becomes not very sustainable and many of the libraries close.
“With respect of the review looking at long term options, one of those options must surely be greater council involvement whether that be bringing libraries back under council stewardship or a closer working relationship with people who do run the libraries. If we are serious about keeping them open they do require a lot of public funding and council support.”
Conservative councillor Nicola Roulstone said libraries must change to fit with the times. She said: “We need to recognise that Covid has had a massive impact on those volunteers themselves.
“Many of the local volunteers in my ward (Spondon) are of a certain age demographic and they were unable to volunteer because of the Covid impact.
“I think the concept of a library in this day and age has to change. Ultimately there is a call for a more hubbased system with local support – it’s not just about borrowing books and that’s where DHA were trying to go with that. That’s something we need to recognise as part of this diversion in what could happen going forward.”
The five libraries managed by Derby City Council including Alvaston Library, Home Library Service, Local Studies Library, Mickleover Library, Normanton Library and Riverside Library are not part of the review process. DHA has been approached for comment on the review process.