Galleywood Library Strategy
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Galleywood Parish Council GALLEYWOOD PARISH COUNCIL’S STRATEGY FOR GALLEYWOOD LIBRARY SUMMARY Contents 1. Introduction............................................................................................................................... 2 2. Galleywood Parish Council Resolution - 3 December 2018 ...................... 3 3. Galleywood Parish Council Consultees .................................................................. 3 4. Essex Libraries near Galleywood .............................................................................. 4 5. Some of the Many Things That Happen in Libraries ...................................... 5 6. What About the Buildings? ........................................................................................... 5 7. Resources ................................................................................................................................ 5 8. Visions and Ambitions ..................................................................................................... 6 9. Residents Comment and Concerns .......................................................................... 7 10. Galleywood Parish Council Comments on Essex County Council’s Future Library Services Strategy 2019 – 2024 ...................................................... 8 11. Galleywood Parish Council’s Options for the Galleywood Library Services and Building ............................................................................................................ 9 LEGAL STATUS Copyright © 2018 – Galleywood Parish Council. Proprietary and Confidential – The information in this document is the property of Galleywood Parish Council, is confidential and must not be disclosed without the written permission of Galleywood Parish Council. It is provided only to allow these recipients to evaluate the project described herein. No licence or rights are granted to the information or ideas or processes described or referred to in this document. The data in this document is subject to change without notice. The document contains information and images from third parties that may be the subject of separate copyright restrictions. 1 | P a g e 1. Introduction This document is a draft Galleywood Parish Council (GPC) strategy and contains proposals for the provision of services from the existing Essex County Council (ECC) library building in Galleywood. This strategy paper and proposals was publicly consulted at a public meeting held on 26 January 2019 and has since been adopted by the Parish Council. This document is submitted to ECC in response to the Draft Essex Future Library Services Strategy 2019 – 2024 document published by ECC for a public consultation which ran from 29 November 2018 to 20 February 2019. Residents were encouraged to respond to the ECC consultation by completing the online ECC survey and attending public meetings of the Parish Council (see below) before the 20 February 2019. Timeline of this document 2018 November 14 Publication of the Agenda for the ECC Cabinet meeting 2018 November 22 ECC Cabinet meeting 2019 November 29 ECC Consultation Starts 2018 December 3 Galleywood Parish Council (Public) Meeting of the Council 2019 January 7 Galleywood Parish Council (Public) Meeting of the Council 1st Draft Consultation proposals discussed (Published 31st December 2018) GPC open to public comments on the draft 2019 January 26 Galleywood Parish Council (Public) Meeting to present the GPC Strategy and proposals 2019 February 4 Galleywood Parish Council (Public) Meeting of the Council 2nd Draft Consultation proposals discussed Final proposal incorporating public comments/changes (4th – 19th ) 2019 February 20 Galleywood Parish Council Submission of Proposals 2019 February 20 ECC Consultation Ends Revised Strategy document to ECC Cabinet Adoption of the Strategy 2 | P a g e 2. Galleywood Parish Council Resolution - 3 December 2018 As a result of the first public meeting in Galleywood by the Parish Council on 3 December 2018 the Parish Council discussed the ECC Draft Strategy with the public then resolved as a Parish Council to: 18-207 Public Consultation on Essex Future Library Services Strategy Members considered the consultation document for the closure of Galleywood Library. 18-207 RESOLVED that Galleywood Parish Council: 1. engages with the County Council ‘Future Library Services Strategy’ and will strive to ensure that the Galleywood Library building remains open, delivering the services required by the community; 2. consider all viable options for partnering services; 3. is open to supporting a community library service subject to further information; 4. set up a Working Party to draft a suitable community proposal for the future use of the Galleywood Library building as part of its contribution to the consultation; 5. publicly consult the proposals in January 2019 prior to the consultation closing date (20 February 2019) in a Galleywood public meeting hosted by the Parish Council; 6. apply for an Asset of Community Value status for the Galleywood Library Draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting 3rd December 2018 Except for item 6. GPC has summarised these actions and their outcomes in this document. 3. Galleywood Parish Council Consultees This document forms the culmination of the GPC’s response on behalf of the community to the ECC’s Public Consultation on Essex Future Library Services Strategy. • The document lays out a commentary on the Draft ECC Library Strategy and provides alternative proposals where these are within the power and scope of the Parish Council; • It disagrees with the Draft ECC strategy for Galleywood and that this consultation is not about the lending book service and all about the Galleywood Library building and the services that are provided at this location; • This consultation response focuses on keeping the building open and providing services that will meet the needs of the Community. The approach taken by GPC had been publicly tested in four public Council meetings with one specifically dedicated public meeting. It is based on evidence provided by ECC and other bodies and feedback from the community and partners. Although GPC has no duty to co-operate with neighbouring parishes and wards it had sought the opinion of the following organisations during the preparation of this document: • Essex County Council • Chelmsford City Council • Great Baddow Parish Council • West Hanningfield Parish Council 3 | P a g e • Sandon Parish Council • Stock Parish Council • Councillor Jenny Chandler – Essex County Councillor for Galleywood The following adjoining Chelmsford City Council Ward Councillors: • Bicknacre and East and West – Councillor Matthew Flack, Councillor Richard Poulter • Galleywood Ward – Councillor Janette Potter, Councillor David Stevenson • Goat Hall Ward – Councillor Anthony McQuiggan, Councillor Freda Mountain • Great Baddow East – Councillor Liz Ahmed, Councillor Stephanie Scott, Councillor Gillian Smith • Great Baddow West – Councillor Jenny Chandler, Councillor Bob Villa • Little Baddow, Danbury and Sandon – Councillor Richard Ambor, Councillor Robert Shepherd, Councillor Ian Wright • South Hanningfield, Stock and Margaretting Ward - Councillor Ian Grundy, Councillor Roy Whitehead (prior to May 2019) 4. Essex Libraries near Galleywood 4 2 X 3 1 X4 2 4 X 4 X 3 4 X 4 | P a g e 5. Some of the Many Things That Happen in Libraries Currently Currently Proposed in in Essex in Galleywood as Galleywood a result of this strategy Books and magazines ✓ ✓ ✓ Book readings, music and ✓ ✓ ✓ events Job clubs and job search ✓ Proposed help Language books and classes ✓ ✓ ✓ Free public network ✓ ✓ ✓ computers Code Clubs ✓ Proposed Baby and Toddler ✓ ✓ ✓ Rhyme times ✓ ✓ ✓ Wi-Fi access ✓ ✓ ✓ Parish Council Office Proposed Health Services (Clinic room) Proposed Refreshments/Cafe Proposed Meeting Room Proposed Adult Classes Proposed After School Homework Proposed (quiet place) 6. What About the Buildings? The current Galleywood Library building is owned by Essex County Council’s Property service and was built in the 1960s. It is in a poor state of repair and maintenance. It comprises of a steel frame, largely brick and glass clad, flat roofed structure. The building houses a main library hall housing the book stock, public computers and reception, an office, a kitchen, a storeroom and toilet. The surrounding space provides some public open space and shared parking including disabled spaces. 7. Resources ECC needs to do more than simply identify savings each year and it must reshape and reimagine services to make them streamline, sustainable and fit for the future. Reducing the size of the library service estate will save on running and capital costs and free up resources to invest in improving other aspects of the service. Withdrawing library services from Tier 4 locations, where they are not required to provide a comprehensive library offer will save an estimated £974,000. By moving Galleywood Library and services to Tier 3 or 4 and taking over the running of the building GPC will not be diminishing the estimated £974,000 sum. 5 | P a g e 8. Visions and Ambitions Galleywood Parish Council would like to: a. see the best libraries are at the heart of the community dovetailing with the Council’s approach to everything from public service to lifelong learning to wellbeing, job seeking, volunteering, education and encouraging more people to get online. Providing an Education and Skills Centre in our local area; b. Co-develop an investment strategy for the Library