Following consultation with Cllr Nolan (Executive Board Member Employment, Learning and Skills and Communities). As from Tuesday 27th August, Halton Library Service will commence with public consultation on our library service opening hours, to provide a more consistent offer across the library sites. Information, along with data on local needs, will be used as the basis for a review by the council. Consistent opening hours were identified as one of the proposals following a review of the library service that was conducted by the Council’s Transformation Delivery Unit in 2023.
We need to consider how best to provide a library service that responds to library user needs, which continues to meet our statutory duty and is mindful of reduced resources. The council must make significant efficiencies over the next 3-year period, this means the council will have to make tough budgetary decisions around the delivery of services. A review of the library service may result in budget savings for the council while keeping our four libraries open.
However, the council is clear that it does not want to close libraries and is considering making some changes which would help make libraries more sustainable and cost effective. The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires the council to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all those who live, work or study and want to access the service in the borough.
Cllr Nolan (Executive Board Member Employment, Learning and Skills and Communities) said:
“I am proud to have libraries within my portfolio, they offer a great service to our users, from libraries within our communities to the Home Library Service. I am supportive of the library service and everything it offers. As with all council services, the library service must ensure it can continue to meet the needs of the community and provide best value for money. The consultation is important to ensure that any decisions are informed by the views of the community. All responses to the consultation will be analysed and no decisions will be taken until after all the findings have been considered.”.
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https://online1.snapsurveys.com/HaltonLibraryService
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The consultation opens on Tuesday 27th August and closes on Tuesday 8th October 2024.