Library opening hours tweaked after backlash

Meir and Bentilee will now be open longer but other sites reduced

PLANS to slash library opening times compared to pre-pandemic levels have been revised – following public opposition.

Stoke-on-trent City Council had proposed to reduce the opening hours of its six libraries, among a raft of other changes, to save £280,000 as part of this year’s budget cuts.

During a public consultation on the proposals 60 per cent of people said they did not agree with the proposed opening hours – although most supported the overall strategy. Much of the opposition came from users of Bentilee library, which was set to be cut to just two days a week under the original proposals, as was Meir library.

Council leaders have now amended the plans in light of the consultation responses. While the overall opening hours across the six libraries will be similar to what was originally proposed, Bentilee and Meir libraries have seen their hours increase. Bentilee will now open Monday, Tuesdays, Fridays and every other Saturday. Meir will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and on the first Saturday of every month.

But the proposed opening hours at City Central, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall libraries will be slightly reduced compared to the original propopals.

Lorraine Beardmore, cabinet member for culture, leisure and public health, below, said: “An important part of developing a new strategy is to put it out to consultation and listen to the feedback from service users, and so we have made changes to the proposed opening hours.

“In coming up with the strategy we monitored how people were using libraries, including footfall data, over the past few years. We have seen a big increase in the uptake of digital services, especially during the pandemic.

“We know that people value the library service, although they may use libraries in a different way than before. Older generations may use them as traditional libraries, but working age people may come to them to use the IT services.” Sheila Pitt, ward councillor for Bentilee and Ubberley, is still not happy with the proposed opening hours at Bentilee Library. She said: “I don’t think they’ve gone far enough. It’s a popular library and I think it should be open daily. Bentilee is a huge estate and people here should be able to have access to a library every day. I know a lot of people use libraries to access the internet these days. “But it seems that the libraries are being cut back in the same way as the museums. I had some visitors from Malaysia yesterday and I wanted to take them to the Potteries Museum, but of course I couldn’t because it’s now closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

The new libraries strategy describes the libraries as ‘trusted sources of knowledge and learning that provide physical and digital points of connection for local communities’, which will provide ‘access to information, both physically and digitally, for all who want it’. The savings will be delivered by ‘utilising staff resources differently’ across the six libraries.

Under the new strategy there will be an increased emphasis on digital provision, along with getting other council services to make better use of the buildings.

A total of 320 people responded to the consultation, with 72 per cent saying they agreed with the strategy and vision. But just 50 per cent agreed that the council has the ‘right resource’ for its libraries, with 28 per cent disagreeing.

Cabinet members will formally adopt the new strategy, including the new opening hours, when they meet on May 24.