Local residents have very little time left to register their feelings about the Council's proposal to close Alderley Edge library., following the announcement in November that it is under threat as Cheshire East Council is considering closing it in order to save around £50,000 a year.
As previously reported on alderleyedge.com, the future of the village library is under threat as Cheshire East Council is considering closing the three smallest libraries in the borough in order to save money over the next three years.
In November, the Council published it Pre Budget Consultation for 2018-21 which includes closing Alderley Edge, Disley and Prestbury libraries in order to save £150,000 a year.
The consultation period ends today (Friday, 12th January) so anyone wishing to respond to the proposals send their comments to Cheshire East by 5pm today.
Responses can be sent by email to [email protected] using the subject reference "Pre Budget Consultation Response: Alderley Edge Library".
Councillor Craig Browne wrote to CEC saying "I am writing to respond to the Pre-Budget Consultation (2018/19) and in particular, the proposal to close Alderley Edge Library at a saving of £72,000 to Cheshire East Council.
"Whilst I fully appreciate the pressure local authorities are under, following the reduction and eventual removal of the Revenue Support Grant from central government, I cannot help but feel that closing public libraries to achieve a relatively insignificant cost saving, would be a retrograde step. I am mindful of the words of the C19th philosopher, Andrew Carnegie, who commented that 'there is not such a cradle of democracy as the free public library. A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people and it is a never failing spring in the desert'.
"The building used by Alderley Edge Library is available to Cheshire East Council at a peppercorn rent and there is also a covenant in place, registered by Alderley Edge Parish Council in 2001, which prevents the building being used for any purpose other than as a public lending library or associated Cheshire (East) County Council service until after the year 2050. I am pleased to attach a copy of this covenant with my consultation response. This being the case, the community of Alderley Edge, led by the Parish Council and myself as the Ward Councillor, have been considering how we might help Cheshire East Council reverse its initial proposal and keep Alderley Edge Library open at a reduced cost.
He continued "In response to my public call for support, approximately 35 residents (one of whom is a qualified, retired librarian) have already come forward to offer their time as volunteers; therefore our proposal is that they are prepared to support one full-time or two part-time paid members of staff (rather than the current three members of staff). This would enable the library to remain open, preferably with extended hours, but with a smaller cost to the Council's staffing budget than is currently the case. With this number of volunteers, each individual volunteer's commitment would be no more than an average of three hours per month, which is both realistic and achievable. As Ward Councillor, I am prepared to lead by example and give an hour a week of my own time.
"A longer term aspiration, is that a smaller group of these residents come together and set up a legal entity, such as a Community Interest Company, Company Limited by Guarantee, or Registered Charity, which could take over the running of the asset from Cheshire East Council; however, setting up the legal entity, establishing a Board of Trustees or Directors, developing a viable business plan and seeking the necessary funding from third party (potentially charitable) sources, as well as training volunteers to offer the services that would need to be delivered from the library, is not something that could be achieved between now and 1st April and in all probability, would take a minimum of two to three years to set up.
"There is a role that Cheshire East Council might play in supporting such a transition; for example, providing legal advice on the setting up of a CIC etc, as well as providing training to the potential volunteers on how to support the librarian in delivering certain library services. Such volunteers would also need DBS clearance and some form of health & safety/first aid training, which again, Cheshire East Council could provide. I hope the leadership of the Council will recognise this proposal as a positive response from the residents of Alderley Edge, to a challenging situation and will support it accordingly. Full details of the list of volunteers can be provided on request."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Let's hope that common sense (and decency) prevails.
It sounds a daunting task for volunteers to take on fundraising, organising events and running a library and I really cannot imagine how this could be more successful than a properly staffed, funded and staffed library, hence my interest.
This is such a shame but really is a sign of the times imo. I seldom use the library and my two sons never. Everything is available online.
The Library also hosts Mums and toddler reading groups where children make their first contact with books and pictures.
And then there are people like me who , for whatever reason, find holding a book and turning a paper page quite enthralling - and the thought of “reading” a tablet quite disconcerting.
It may we’ll be that you and your family don’t use the Library, but then me and mine have no interest in (for example) skateparks.
That doesn’t mean that I would support the Council in removing skateparks from the boroughs parks and playing fields. On the contrary, they are a valuable recreational amenitythat we have paid handsomely for and should be preserved.
Not sure why you have brought up skateparks as anything relevant to this thread tbh.
Maybe you are in the minority on this one. As the saying goes....you have to move with the times.
Unfortunately, I do not have details of the number of books lent; however, I do have details of the number of visits to the library over the last three years, which are as follows:
2016/17 - 19,583
2015/16 - 25,057
2014/15 - 29,822
Of course, libraries, like other organisations, have had to adapt and both now and in the future will need to offer a range of services above and beyond the lending of books.
I do agree with you that the current rather random opening hours do not help and if we are able to keep the library going with the support of volunteers, extending the core opening hours is something we would like to address.
Kind regards,
Craig
I'm sure others could suggest services they would like to see use the building, rather than it become another restaurant or bar.
Use it or lose it used to be said a lot......so Let's not lose our library.
If Fiona thinks we should "Move with the times", does that mean that all libraries are redundant and therefore should be closed?
With a covenant in place these premises may remain empty and how sad that would be?
Alderley Library is a brilliant small modern library that anyone bothering to visit before commenting would know. Does anyone seriously still think a library only loans books these days?! It loans DVDs, CDs, audio books, provides internet access, fax, printing (and help with this tech) - all sorts of ‘modern’ gadgets for locals to use if they can’t afford their own or don’t need their own, it’s a place for locals to sit in quiet and read the papers for free, with various activities organised for all ages, but perhaps most importantly - activities for young children and their carers where they can gather, indoors, at no cost, and sing songs, play instruments, read stories, listen to stories, play lego, do arts & crafts etc etc.
Kids love screen time. Just like they love sweets. It means introducing books and other non-screen activities to them from age dot even more important, not just giving them sweets. But hey they can pick up a DVD on a visit too!
In addition the Library serves a useful aid to those who need help with IT issues and there are many people who value such help. It is a "go to" place for many and if we lose it it is gone for ever.
Put our names on the list for volunteers!
Mike and Judy Hargreaves
£160,000 paid out to suspended people this year (and on-going?).
Funny old juxta-position of sums eh? Just saying!
I don't think that you we reasonably use a business argument for something that is a public service.
If that were the case then most schools, libraries, museums, art galleries, and other places of public learning would close because someone could find something more lucrative to do with the space.
Libraries contribute to the education and well-being of the community as has been demonstrated here, and who are we to deny those that have visited over nineteen thousand times, the service?
Regarding practical support instead of "moaning" (I prefer to see it as objection) - a number of people both here and on other sites have offered their support in staffing the Library voluntarily to keep it open - given that they have already paid for the service through their taxes, I think that's a very commendable commitment.