Agenda item

Motion: Reductions to Library Opening Hours

 

Mover:            Cllr Deborah Darling

Seconder:      Cllr James Cookson

 

Councillor Darling moved, and Councillor Cookson seconded the Notice of Motion as outlined in the agenda requesting that the Council resolves to:

 

·       Request that the Leader of the Council write to Devon County Council urging them to reconsider its proposed severe reduction in branch library opening hours that adversely affect Exeter’s residents, especially given the recently announced county council multiyear settlement.

·       Now that the survey consultation has closed, request that Devon County Council consult directly with the staff at Exeter’s branch libraries, before any decisions are made, to explore more modest changes to opening hours based on firsthand knowledge of the way the libraries are used.

·       Encourage Devon County Council to explore options to protect and/or enhance library access and services, for example, by drawing on existing case studies such as those published by Independent Mind. This should also involve an exploration of collaborative opportunities with existing public services, such as the arrangement St Thomas Library has with Theatre Alibi.

·       Request that DCC provide a full Equalities Impact Assessment to decision makers before the decision is made to cut this key public service. It is not enough to simply ask for views on the proposed changes, as stated in the introduction to the consultation.

 

As Seconder, Councillor Cookson spoke in support of the motion, making the following points:

 

·        he welcomed Devon County Council’s reversal of the proposed £650,000 library cut, driven by community pressure;

·        restoring funding did not guarantee restoration of access or opening hours;

·        he highlighted concerns over a lack of commitment to reverse reduced staff hours and library opening times;

·        commended the motion to urge for a reconsideration of cuts, direct consultation with staff, exploration of ways to protect/enhance access, and a full Equalities Impact Assessment;

·        he was disappointed with the shift in language from libraries to hubs;

·        he commended the local community efforts, particularly campaigners organising opposition and emphasised the  importance of libraries as essential safe and warm spaces for vulnerable residents; and

·        strongly supported the motion.

 

During discussion, Members made the following comments on the motion:

 

·        the motion was welcomed and reaffirmed the importance of libraries;

·        local councillors were credited for identifying funding and helping reverse proposed cuts;

·        the debate had shifted to consultation on opening hours, with significant public engagement;

·        libraries were evolving due to technology and changing community needs;

·        there was limited transition funding from Devon County Council, but was not sufficient for all libraries;

·        it was important to identify stable funding to maintain staffing and opening hours;

·        councillors needed to engage locally on how transition funding could best support libraries;

·        libraries now served as vital community hubs, providing a wide range of services to vulnerable groups, families, and elderly residents;

·        reducing hours would significantly impact community services and access;

·        Councillors Darling and Cookson were thanked for bringing the motion forward;

·        Pinhoe library was facing a reduction in operating hours from 15 to 6 hours ( around a 60% cut);

·        there was a community value with over 9,000 visits in less than a year;

·        there were concerns about reliance on volunteers, who could not replace trained staff;

·        the reversal of budget cuts were welcomed but the lack of commitment on restoring hours and staffing was a concern;

·        there was an absence of direct consultation with library staff;

·        libraries provided a wide range of services beyond books, including classes, story times, baby groups, breakfast clubs, board games, Wi-Fi, and computer access;

·        it was important to protect libraries as community hubs;

·        Devon County Council’s proposal to rely on volunteers to run libraries was criticised, noting volunteers often had other jobs and could not fully operate a library;

·        having experienced library staff managing the services, volunteers would provide assistance which was important;

·        the debate was welcomed but it would have been preferable during the formal consultation period so the Council could submit official views;

·        the previously proposed £650,000 cuts were efficiencies carried forward from last year and had been reinvested in library services;

·        an additional £1 million has been allocated for the library transformation scheme; and

·        there was an ongoing consultation, which had already received over 23,500 responses.

 

Councillor M. Mitchell proposed an amendment to the recommendations, which was seconded by Councillor Fullam to read as follows:

 

·        that the Leader of the Council writes to the Leader of Devon County Council requesting that the cabinet member responsible for library services be invited to a meeting of Exeter City Council to meet with interested Members and discuss both the current provision and future provision of library services in Exeter.

 

Councillor M. Mitchell in speaking to the amendment, advised that the amendment was a more proactive way for the council to engage and influence library services locally.

 

The Leader raised a protocol concern, noting that a local authority could not be summoned to a meeting and suggested the appropriate forum would be an invitation to a scrutiny committee meeting.

 

Councillor M. Mitchell agreed that an invitation to scrutiny would be acceptable, allowing discussion and public attendance without mandating participation. Councillor Darling as the mover of the Motion accepted this amendment as an additional recommendation to the motion.

 

Returning to the debate on the amended motion, the following points were made:

 

·        the motion was important particularly for Pinhoe as one of the fastest-growing areas in Exeter with rising demand for community facilities;

·        the proposed reduction of Pinhoe library to just 6 hours per week was not acceptable;

·        thanks were made to local campaigners, for pressuring Devon County Council to listen to them;

·        volunteers, brought skills, commitment, and local knowledge, but required clear frameworks and support from paid staff;

·        volunteers could not replace trained professional staff and should not be used as a cost-saving measure;

·        cross-party support for the motion was commended;

·        additional funding from central government enabled Devon County Council to reconsider cuts;

·        the Save Devon’s Libraries campaign was praised for raising awareness and influencing decisions;

·        it was regretful that the motion was necessary but was commended as a positive step for protecting library services;

·        reading was a fundamental life skill, and reducing opportunities for families to take young children to libraries was a concern;

·        Devon County Council should not have considered making cuts to library funding;

·        the St. Thomas library was a valuable community facility;

·        the motion was  slightly out of date due to recent developments;

·        libraries had evolved beyond books to include technology, computers, and modern community services;

·        reduced hours in one area could be balanced with increased hours or new resources elsewhere;

·        the consultation process was welcomed and seen as a way to tailor services to public needs, such as book availability, computer access, service complexity, or location; and

·        the earlier amendment strengthened the substantive motion and supported maintaining or enhancing library provisions.

 

In summing up, Councillor Darling as Mover of the Motion made the following points:

 

·        thanked all Members for engaging in the debate and acknowledged the contributions of Solomon Elliot, Lucy Finlay, and other campaigners;

·        welcomed the reversal on the proposed library cuts but stressed that restored budgets did not guarantee restored hours or services;

·        that libraries were evolving into hubs, but standard hours failed to reflect the needs of individual libraries, causing dramatic reductions in services;

·        branches, like St. Thomas, faced significant cuts on operating hours impacting on community use;

·        she was critical of the move toward a volunteer-led model, stressing that professional librarians were essential for reading support, IT assistance, material selection, and community engagement;

·        consultations had been limited and functioned more as volunteer recruitment exercises than opportunities to shape library services;

·        case studies and examples of enhanced library programs could not operate effectively with only six hours of opening; and

·        although Devon County Council announced the reversal of cuts on 18 February, the motion was still needed to protect library hours, professional staffing, and service quality.

 

Following a vote, the motion was CARRIED as amended (as follows):

 

RESOLVED that

 

1)     the Leader of the Council write to Devon County Council urging them to reconsider its proposed severe reduction in branch library opening hours that adversely affect Exeter’s residents, especially given the recently announced county council multiyear settlement.

 

2)     now that the survey consultation has closed, that Devon County Council be requested to consult directly with the staff at Exeter’s branch libraries, before any decisions are made, to explore more modest changes to opening hours based on firsthand knowledge of the way the libraries are used.

 

3)     Devon County Council be encouraged to explore options to protect and/or enhance library access and services, by drawing on existing case studies such as those published by Independent Mind. This should also involve an exploration of collaborative opportunities with existing public services, such as the arrangement St Thomas Library has with Theatre Alibi.

 

4)     Devon County Council provide a full Equalities Impact Assessment to decision makers before the decision is made to cut this key public service. It is not enough to simply ask for views on the proposed changes, as stated in the introduction to the consultation.

 

5)     That the Devon County Council cabinet member responsible for library services be invited to a Scrutiny meeting with interested Members to discuss both the current provision and future provision of library services in Exeter.