Libraries and Multi Service Centres Consultation 7,780 people told us what is We’ve listened and have a proposal important to them about the for the future of the library service library service and multi service centres Have your say on our proposal, take part in the public consultation from 25 May to 3 August 2016 www.eastriding.gov.uk/proposalconsultation The library service and multi service centres consultation Local Government has experienced significant reductions in funding. Since 2010, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has made savings of £118 million and needs to find a further £60 million over the next four years. The council is proud of its record on libraries and customer services and is committed to providing excellent services in the future. Our proposal takes full account of what you told us in the consultation exercise we undertook from 29 September to 21 December 2015. The proposal ensures that there will continue to be excellent and comprehensive library service and multi service centre provision across the East Riding of Yorkshire whilst contributing to the savings that the council needs to make. In the consultation we asked: ‘Our Proposal’ ‘If savings were to be made to the library budget and you had to choose, should the council save Our proposal would: money by...’ Closing some branch libraries but keeping 1. Retain a library or multi service centre in opening hours the same at the remaining each major town or village in the East Riding branch libraries but reduce opening hours Or 2. Retain a mobile library service which would Keeping all current branch libraries open but continue to deliver services across the East reducing their opening hours Riding but reduce the level of service 87% chose to ‘keep all current branch libraries open but reduce their opening hours.’ 3. Amalgamate the two libraries in Bridlington into one library - in line with other towns in We also asked should we: the East Riding No longer provide a mobile library service 4. Invest £7.4 million in creating six more multi service centres Or Keep a mobile library service but review the Savings current level of service 89% chose to ‘keep a mobile library service but If the proposal were implemented it would save in review the current level of service.’ the order of £1.2 million from the council’s budget. Our Proposal Retain a library or Retain a mobile library Amalgamate the two multi service centre in service which would libraries in Bridlington each major town and continue to deliver services into one library – in line large village but reduce across the East Riding but with other towns in the opening hours reduce the level of service East Riding You told us that you did not want You told us that you wanted to As Bridlington is the only town in the libraries to close but if necessary keep the mobile library service but East Riding which has two branch would be willing to accept reductions if necessary review the current level libraries, the council proposes in opening times. of service. that the two branch libraries are Our proposal would retain a library Our proposal would retain a mobile amalgamated into one library on or multi service centre in each major library service. However, we have the current Bridlington King Street town and large village in the East reviewed where the mobile library library site. Riding. However, we are proposing visits, how often it does so and the The current North Bridlington changes to the opening hours. length of its stay. library site would be retained. The The council has a programme to We are proposing to stop visiting intention would be for the site to invest £7.4 million in creating six some villages due to lack of use become a venue for adult education new multi service centres, creating in the past. At other stops, the and training. Access to the building better services at less cost. frequency and duration of each visit for community use and bookable is proposed to change. space for local activities would be How would we minimise the impact maintained. of this proposal? How would we minimise the impact of this proposal? How would we minimise the impact Saturday and evening opening of this proposal? would remain although hours An ‘At Home’ service would be may be reduced provided for those vulnerable By continuing to offer an residents who meet the criteria excellent library service By providing an enhanced in central Bridlington, in online catalogue Promotion of timetables using Flamborough and via the Through extending the digital a variety of methods – i.e. mobile library and library offer to include e-books website, information leaflets, ‘At Home’ services. and e-audio posters, Town and Parish Council Newsletters Through the continued development of self service Enhancing the online catalogue and mobile technology to allow Extending the digital library access to services outside of offer to include e-books and normal opening hours. e-audio. What feedback would we like from you? Your view on the proposal What impact you think the proposal would have on you The consultation will run from 25 May to 3 August 2016. You can share your views online at eastriding.gov.uk/proposalconsultation or by completing a paper questionnaire. PAGE 1 Our proposal The Library Service & Multi Service Centres #ERLibrariesHaveYourSay East Riding of Yorkshire Council will, on request, provide this document in Braille, audio or large print format. If English is not your fi rst language and you would like a translation of this document into any other language, please telephone (01482) 393939. Version 0.8 PAGE 2 Introduction Between 29 September and 21 December 2015, East Riding of Yorkshire Council undertook a consultation exercise on the future of our library service. We have carefully analysed the 7,780 responses that we received and this document details our approach to the review of libraries that we have been undertaking and outlines our proposal for the future of the library service and multi service centres. It sets out the key factors we have considered in developing our proposal which fully takes into account what you told us during the previous consultation. This document is split into the following sections: PAGE 3 PAGE 8 Section 1 - The fi nancial challenge Section 4 - Consultation fi ndings This section describes the fi nancial challenge faced by This section sets out the fi ndings from the consultation the council. exercise undertaken in 2015. PAGE 4 PAGE 11 Section 2 - The library service Section 5 - Our proposal and multi service centres This section provides details of the proposal which we This section describes the East Riding’s library service are consulting you on. and multi service centre provision. PAGE 19 PAGE 7 Section 6 - Consultation Section 3 - Our approach This section explains how to take part in the This section details the approach and rationale that the consultation. council has used to review the library service. and its multi service centres. PAGE 3 Section 1 - The fi nancial challenge Local Government has experienced signifi cant reductions in funding. Since 2010, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has made savings of £118 million and needs to fi nd a further £60 million over the next 4 years. To respond to this fi nancial challenge the council has It is important that the council makes the most of been undertaking a transformation programme across emerging opportunities to meet people’s needs in new all service areas. The purpose of this programme is and different ways, such as providing and improving to review services, fi nd savings and identify ways to self-service options to allow residents to interact with deliver services differently. This involves some diffi cult the council in more fl exible and convenient ways. decisions about how the council spends the money it has and how it can protect services which are most The proposal detailed in this document combines valued by our residents. work undertaken to review library services and multi service centres. Multi service centres are buildings The priorities for East Riding of where a number of services are combined such as Yorkshire Council are: libraries and customer services. • maximising our potential The aim is that the council will work more effi ciently • valuing our environment and provide services at less cost whilst ensuring • supporting vulnerable people and reducing that services remain suited to the needs of the local inequalities community. • promoting health, wellbeing and independence • reducing costs, raising performance Multi service centres In line with these priorities, the council wants to The council has opened a number of multi service continue to offer high quality services to its residents centres. Services provided include: whilst making the required savings resulting from reductions in central government funding. • advice, information and access to council services • help with applications • payment facilities There are continued signifi cant pressures on adult • information about a range of partner organisations social care budgets. The Government has recognised • a library service including free internet access this national pressure and allowed councils to increase council tax by 2% to support adult social Combining services together under one roof in multi care. However, this increase meets only 55% of the service centres means that services can continue to be estimated increase in costs in adult social care. provided in a convenient way and at a lower cost. PAGE 4 Section 2 - The library service and multi service centres Our vision is to deliver a high-quality, modern library service and multi service centres which meet the challenges of a mainly rural area at a lower net cost and meet the needs of both present and future customers.