Consultation Launches on Libraries proposals

Consultation launches on Cheshire East's libraries

Residents are invited to have their say on how Cheshire East s libraries could be run in the future.

Cheshire East Council has launched a six-week consultation on its draft libraries strategy, which includes asking for feedback on a tiering system for how library services would be promoted and invested in going forward.

The council must make savings in library services of more than 600k over the next two years to support the council s medium-term financial strategy (MTFS) 2024-2028. The MTFS needs to achieve budget savings of 100 million to continue offering support to Cheshire East s most vulnerable residents.

The consultation runs until Sunday 15 September and can be found online at: cheshireeast.gov.uk/consultations

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council s environment and communities committee, said: We know that libraries are very important to our residents, and we absolutely recognise the value of the services they offer.

Significant financial pressures mean we have to transform the way in which these services are delivered. There is far less money to spend, and we must focus the resources we do have in the places where demand and need is greatest.

The proposed tier system for libraries that is included in our draft strategy mirrors how many other councils are already operating their own sites.

It provides opportunities for us to deliver library and other council services in a much more joined up way such as Family Hubs, which bring services together so families with children and young people can access the right help and support, at the right time in one place.

It also provides us with opportunities to invest in our core sites, explore how we can use them to generate income, and to use new technologies so library services are more accessible to our residents.

Cllr Warren added: While we have been developing our strategy, we have been engaging with community organisations and town and parish councils to explore opportunities for them to support library services in their local area.

Some of the options that have been put forward as a result of these conversations, which are still ongoing, are included in the consultation so that residents can share their views. This includes proposals for Bollington, Handforth and Disley libraries.

After considering the feedback from the consultation, final proposals for libraries will be developed and brought back to committee in autumn.

Paper copies of the consultation can be found at each library. Residents who would like to receive the questionnaire in an alternative format or submit their response in a different way can email: CEConsultation@cheshireeast.gov.uk. Alternatively, for those without online access, responses can be sent by calling customer services on: 0300 123 55 00.

Proposed tier system for libraries:

Tier one Congleton, Crewe, Macclesfield, Nantwich and Wilmslow. These sites would become library hubs and continue to provide the core library services along with free support around health, employment, skills, education and personal finance, and host other services, such as banking hubs.

Tier two Alsager, Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Middlewich, Poynton and Sandbach. These sites would continue to offer the core library and customer services, with opening hours updated to match when the libraries are busiest. Some of the sites dictated by need could include some of the targeted services found at the tier one sites.

Tier three Alderley Edge, Bollington, Disley and Handforth. These sites would be known as community libraries and act as customer service points and offer a small range of activities. They would be staffed by Cheshire East Council employees for up to 1.5 days during the week. The council is engaging with community organisations and town and parish councils to explore opportunities for them to operate library services in their local areas during the remainder of the week.

Tier four is the existing mobile library and the home library service, which is delivered by volunteers and offered to those residents who are unable to leave their homes.