Library service may go private as city seeks to slash budget

Community groups, the private sector or others could take over the library service in Wakefield as the local authority tries to slash its budget.

Members of Wakefield Council's Cabinet committee will be told that a review of its local libraries, when considered alongside the need to trim spending, means a number could have to shut unless alternative ways can be found to run the service.

The council began its review of libraries last year to find out how the service was viewed and what improvements people would like to see. A report to Cabinet says the Government's spending review means the council now needs to come up with potential solutions to the issues facing its library services taking into account the reduced budget – and that could mean employees, community groups and other organisations playing a role.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Council officers are recommending talking to a wide range of interested parties including town and parish councils, town centre partnerships, community groups and library user groups, library staff, other local authorities and both private and public sector organisations and partners.

At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, members will be asked to give the go-ahead for stage two of the review. It will look at new ways of running the service and gauge interest to allow more detailed proposals to be drawn up.

A report to councillors says: "Solutions could involve organisations or groups from within or external to the district supporting, running or managing elements of the library service, ranging from some individual value added services through to the whole service.

"For example this may include anything from a community group offering to manage and co-ordinate readers groups across the service, right through to offering to run a single or multiple libraries and outreach services.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"At this point, the level of interest from groups or organisations is unknown."

Wakefield currently has 26 libraries and other services including mobile libraries.

At present the core library service costs about 31 a household but in some wards only about one per cent of people use their local library.

The report to members says the service must cut its budget from 2010-11 and it is likely more savings will be needed as a consequence of the Government's spending review.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It says in recent years libraries have not had the cash to maintain services to required standards, meaning basic items such as book stocks have suffered. The council also lacks the money to repair all its library buildings, some including Middlestown and South Kirkby being in a poor state of repair.

The report says other local authorities have also had to carry out similar reviews. It says in some areas private companies have been chosen to run libraries, in others trusts, social enterprises or community groups deliver the service and in other situations, local authorities have joined together and shared costs.

Some areas have looked at basing book lending in supermarkets, village halls and pubs as a way of cutting costs.

The report warns that the overall library review, when considered alongside the council's financial position, may lead to the closure of several libraries unless this second stage of the review can identify alternative ways of delivering the service within the authority's budget.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Officers say they are aware libraries are important to local communities and they say they are keen to explore whether there are organisations or community groups interested in getting involved in the delivery of the service and therefore making closures less likely.

If the proposal is approved by Cabinet, the council will immediately start an exercise looking at future options when citizens, including council employees, and organisations will be able to express any interest they have in getting involved.