Lead Member – Councillor Stuart West – Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture

Report of the Director of Place and Enterprise

Contact: George Candler   Tel: 01743 255003

                        RESOLVED:

i)           That Shawbury Library is closed as soon as practical and that a new weekly mobile library service is introduced.

ii)         That discussions are undertaken with the Shawbury Village Hall Committee with respect to the future use of the existing library space and that in principle financial support is provided for potential investment in the reconfiguration of the existing space on an “invest to save basis”, should agreement be reached that the current lease arrangement can be terminated. 

iii)       That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Place and Enterprise in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture to take any further consequential decisions relating to the closure of the library.

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture presented the report seeking approval for the closure of Shawbury library in the Autumn 2016.  He stressed that the Council had taken into account the low level usage of this facility and the relatively high transactional costs.  Cabinet noted that a new weekly mobile service would be provided in future.

The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transportation, the local Member, confirmed that a petition of over 1200 signatures and ongoing discussions over a 12-month period had not put a halt to the steady decline in user numbers. He commented that the majority of the local population comprised Forces personnel and families and they had a library on the camp.  In answer to a Member’s query, he advised that, because of security issues, the library on the camp could not be made available to the local population.  He concluded that he was grateful that a mobile library was to be introduced.

RESOLVED:

i)           That Shawbury Library is closed as soon as practical and that a new weekly mobile library service is introduced.

ii)         That discussions are undertaken with the Shawbury Village Hall Committee with respect to the future use of the existing library space and that in principle financial support is provided for potential investment in the reconfiguration of the existing space on an “invest to save basis”, should agreement be reached that the current lease arrangement can be terminated. 

iii)        That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Place and Enterprise in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture to take any further consequential decisions relating to the closure of the library.