Leicester City Council is set to scrap its controversial plan to hand over libraries to volunteer-run community organisations. The original proposal, unveiled in April, aimed to save £2.1m a year from the council’s budget for public buildings. Following a summer consultation involving thousands of residents, the council said it has “significantly” revised its plans.
Campaigners who opposed the move cautiously welcomed the change. Louisa Wright, part of the campaign to keep Knighton Library under council management, said: “I’m pleased because there was a lot of antipathy to having the library run by volunteers. But it’s a cautious welcome because we still have concerns about cuts to hours and we have yet to see the full details.”
The council confirmed that all libraries are still likely to see a reduction in staffed opening hours, with six libraries moving to self-access, allowing borrowing for 12 hours a day. The Central Library would remain staffed and open on Saturdays and until 18:00 on at least one evening each week.
Vi Dempster, the council’s assistant mayor for libraries and community centres, said: “As the council has always said, this was never a closure programme, it was about finding ways to protect these services in the face of ongoing budget cuts, and to ensure they continue to be available across the whole city. People made it clear to us that they want the council to continue to run libraries, even if it meant a reduction in staffed opening hours.”
Under the revised model, library services will operate from 12 ‘multi-service centres’ across the city, including Beaumont Leys, Highfields, and the Central Library on Bishop Street. Some libraries, such as New Parks, the BRITE Centre, Belgrave, Hamilton, Pork Pie, and St Barnabas, will offer a combination of self-access and limited staffed hours.
Other community centres will continue under council management, while five centres will be offered for community operation. St Matthews Library will relocate to St Matthews Children’s, Young People and Family Centre, and Fosse Neighbourhood Centre and Library will close due to low usage and poor building condition. The package of measures is expected to save £1.57m a year, with the shortfall to be found elsewhere. Some staff may be at risk of redundancy.
A formal executive decision on the revised proposals is due in early December.
