Decision details

Under the Libraries and Museums Act 1964, Buckinghamshire Council has a statutory duty ‘to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service’. The Libraries Strategy (approved by Cabinet in March 2023) set out the vision for a service that provided welcoming and safe spaces for everyone to access reading, culture and the information and services they need to learn, discover, imagine, and thrive. The priorities for Buckinghamshire Libraries were:

·       Encouraging Culture, Reading and Learning

·       Building Stronger Communities

·       Enabling Access, Information, and Inclusion

·       Promoting Health and Wellbeing

The current service offer was delivered through a network of 29 library buildings, an extensive digital offer and a home visit service for vulnerable customers. The library service had a Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) savings requirement of

£555,000 by Financial Year (FY) 2026/27. The total net service budget for FY 2024/25 was £3,476,397, of which £3,106,384 were staffing costs.

Work had taken place to consider options and identify a sustainable and resilient model that would deliver the savings quickly and maintain the library service offer. The service budget profile meant that the savings potential realistically concerned staffing costs for the ten county libraries (as opposed to community libraries in smaller towns and villages, which were principally staffed by volunteers; similarly, opportunities on premises costs were minimal).

The recommended option - ‘Library Flex’ - had been developed following an options appraisal of new self-service technologies and extending community libraries, and was based on a combination of both, since neither in isolation satisfy all requirements. It was designed to retain the libraries’ operational footprint in towns and villages across Buckinghamshire, to meet the needs of the county’s dispersed population; and it brought potential to deliver even more effectively on Council and partner priorities by creating additional opportunities to co-locate or extend services within library premises.

The new self- service technology would reduce the staffed hours by 25%-30%, saving £555,000 per annum, but there was a potential to gradually increase the total opening hours by 50% or more, widening access and providing additional benefits to existing and new customers. The priority was to retain a safe and welcoming environment by working with volunteers, Friends of libraries groups, local community organisations and other council services to make use of the library space when there were no staff on site, as this would make it more welcoming and create more community ownership.

The technology allows for 24/7 access, so over a period of time there were endless possibilities for making the most of the library buildings. For example, early morning access for commuters and yoga classes, late-night study facilities or film clubs, public meetings organised by the police. Conversations were already taking place with the new Locality Family Support and Safeguarding teams to explore the use of library spaces and Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust were also keen to explore developing their Health on the High Street model in libraries.

The total budget for staff at the ten largest and busiest libraries was £1,941,168; a 25% staff reduction at these libraries would generate a saving of £485,292 and a 30% reduction would generate a saving of £582,350 (subject to appropriate consultation). Capital investment would be required to implement the model and realise these savings. A budget of £200,000 for a self-operated library model had already been agreed in the current capital programme for 2024/25. The business case for Library Flex demonstrated that additional £300,000 capital investment would enable this model to be extended across eight libraries and deliver the total savings required of £555,000. It was anticipated that the additional £300,000 was found from the proposed Cost of Change Fund subject to Cabinet approval of this fund. The proposed next steps were to undertake a consultation exercise on the model to ensure that the opening hours for each site provide an inclusive and customer - focused service that ensured that staff were available to support customers at the times of greatest need and demand and to then plan the implementation for Spring 2025 subject to consultation.

It was agreed that a report would be brought back to Cabinet in six months reviewing the ‘Library Flex’ model.

RESOLVED

1. That the outline business case in order to deliver the budgeted MTFP savings by implementing the ‘Library Flex’ model, as detailed in the Cabinet report, be agreed. 

2. That the associated capital investment of £300,000 funding from the proposed £1.5m funding for change business cases be APPROVED, subject to Cabinet approval of this fund at today’s meeting (Paragraph 2.6(ii) in the Budget Monitoring Outturn 2023-24 report refers). 

3. That a consultation exercise be held to inform the opening hours of each site, to ensure inclusive and customer focussed services, and to market community involvement opportunities.