Somerset Libraries Review and Consultation – update
PRINTED VERSIONS OF THE PROPOSALS AND QUESTIONNAIRES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE PARISH OFFICE AND POST OFFICE.
Somerset County Council (SCC) are looking at how to deliver library services across the county in the face of an increasingly difficult financial situation. A public consultation period started on 29 January and runs until 22 April. Details are on the notice board, from the Library and the Parish Office and at https://netherstowey-pc.gov.uk/somerset-libraries-review-and-consultation/.
There are two possible options for Nether Stowey Library.:
1) a partnership with the local community to maintain the library building with SCC funding contribution
2) a mobile library service
Representatives of the Parish Council and FONSL first met with Library Services on 24 October. Details were reported at the November Parish Council meeting and again at the December meeting after further details were provided.
Nether Stowey Library has a catchment covering the area from Kilve to Stogursey, Fiddington, Spaxton and Over Stowey, an estimated population of 4,700. The number of users for the whole of this area is estimated at 366, of which two-thirds are Nether Stowey residents, and one-third from elsewhere. These figures were provided by SCC Library Services and can be seen in more detail in the consultation document.
You may have been told that the Parish Council is “doing nothing to save the Library”. This is far from the truth.
It is an attractive proposition to take on the library building as a community asset. But it is a potentially expensive responsibility and not one the Parish Council can take on lightly without consultation with the community who have to pay for it. The basic annual running costs are approximately £13-15,000. This would require an increase to your Council Tax of about £22 per year for every household – Library users or not. We are aware of some issues with the existing building which will probably require funding to bring it up to a reasonable standard. Without a building survey of the building we do not know everything about its condition – we could end up with a hefty bill for unforeseen repairs and we would need to start building up an additional contingency fund.
So we have suggested possible “joint ventures” and had preliminary discussions with some organisations who might be interested. Further meetings are planned later this month. We discussed these ideas with the County Council representative on 29 January. It was agreed that at this stage discussions can only be in very broad outline and nothing can be progressed far until the consultation results have been fully analysed and the County Council have made a decision.
If this path is possible it will mean compromise as to how much of the library’s space can be given up to create viable accommodation for another “occupant”, and there may be work required to achieve this.
We also have to be sure that we can manage sustainable Library Services. This mean an adequate and committed volunteer team for the long term and possibly “buying in” professional librarian services to support the volunteer team – more costs.
These are big decisions and not ones we can take with knowing the community’s views. It would be irresponsible to make commitments without knowing the full extent of that commitment. And none of this can go forward until we know the County Council’s decision.
Important Dates:
Consultation period runs until 22 April
The main consultation documents and questionnaire for this area is available from the Parish Office and the library or online at http://somersetlibraries.co.uk/consultation/. There you will find links to the proposals, more detailed information and the online questionnaire.
14 February from 2pm – Consultation Drop-in event at Nether Stowey Library
Meet representatives of Library Services and join in a group discussion.
12 March – Nether Stowey Parish Council meeting
Mr Oliver Woodhams from the County Council will be joining the Parish Council meeting on Monday 12 March when he will talk about the proposals and hopefully provide some thoughts on the local consultation.
9 April – Nether Stowey Parish Council meeting
The Parish Council will agree the their formal response to the consultation.