Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of the Report 

 

      To bring to the attention of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee a draft response to Libraries NI consultation document and EQIA on the Review of Opening Hours. The closing date for consultation responses is Friday 2nd December 2011.   A copy of the consultation document  and the EQIA Executive Summary has been circulated.

 

2.0Relevant Background Information

 

      Libraries NI was created in 2009 to take responsibility for the public libraries service across Northern Ireland. One of the first tasks that the new authority carried out was a strategic review of its library provision across the Province.

 

      The first phase in March 2010 included a review of the Greater Belfast area.   The Council’s response to the consultation was approved by the Committee at its meeting on Friday 19th March 2010 and was subsequently submitted to Libraries NI.  The points highlighted in this response will be included in the draft response to be considered.

 

      The response highlighted that the Council would be keen to explore the co-location of library services within Belfast City Council owned buildings.  Particularly where Belfast City Council buildings are located in the proximity of libraries facing potential closure.  The response also stressed the need for an assessment of the population needs of the areas where service withdrawal was proposed. 

 

      Future of Belfast’s Libraries

 

      At its meeting on 27th May 2010, the Libraries NI Board scrutinised the findings of the review and the public consultation process.  The review encompassed 32 libraries in total, 19 of which are located in the Belfast City Council area.  The board determined that of the 19 libraries in Belfast City:

 

·             Finaghy, Grove, Holywood Arches and Whiterock meet the key criteria for future use and are well placed to provide 21st century library services.

 

·             Plans should be taken forward, subject to the availability of funding, for capital investment in Ardoyne, Chichester, Falls Road, Lisburn Road, Ormeau and Shankill Libraries.

 

·             Ballyhackamore and Woodstock Libraries originally proposed for closure should remain open, in relation to Woodstock Library the situation should be reviewed in 2 years.

 

·             Suffolk Library, originally proposed for amalgamation with Colin Glen Library, should remain open, pending investigation of further developments in the area

 

·             The remaining libraries should close and alternative provision be made, particularly for those users who are unable to access an alternative static library.  The libraries which will close are Andersonstown, Ballymacarrett, Ligoniel, Oldpark, Sandy Row and Whitewell.

 

The Board also decided that the following libraries within the Greater Belfast Area should also close:

 

·                  Belvoir Park, Braniel, Dunmurry, Gilnahirk

 

3.0       Summary of the Consultation Document

 

      Libraries NI has had significant reduction in the Libraries NI budget for the coming years resulting from the 2010 Budget process.  The consultation paper says that this has created a need to find substantial savings by reducing opening hours of libraries.  Libraries NI have therefore, reluctantly, had to review library opening hours across Northern Ireland.

 

      The principal aim of the policy review is to deliver savings as required by the NI Executive.  The document emphasises that Libraries NI Board considered a range of options for making the required savings and selected reduced opening hours as one of several initiatives as the reduction can be reversed at a later date if the economic position improves. 

 

      The report proposes that libraries should be grouped into four bands and that there should be consistency in terms of the total number of opening hours within each band.  Libraries have been allocated to bands mainly on the basis of the historic level of use which is detailed in Appendix One of the document.  Appendix Two highlights the exceptions to the process for recently refurbished libraries.

 

      The table below depicts the reduction of opening hours for libraries within Belfast City Council district area.  The impact on Belfast is minimal with the most impact in rural areas.  Appendix one of the consultation document illustrates the overall reduced opening hours for Northern Ireland.

 

Library                         Total Hours       Proposed          Hours                                      Opened              Hours                 variance

 

BAND 1                                                                             

Belfast Central                  60                       57                       -3

 

BAND 2                                                                                   

Ardoyne                             37                       37                       0

Ballyhackamore                40.5                    40                       -0.5

Chichester                         40.5                    40                       -0.5

Falls Road                         40.5                    40.5                    0

Finaghy                              40.5                    40                       -0.5

Grove                                 40.5                    40                       -0.5

Holywood Arches             40.5                    40                       -0.5

Lisburn Road                    40.5                    40                       -0.5

Ormeau                              40.5                    40                       -0.5

Shankill                              40.5                    40.5                    0

Suffolk                               40.5                    40.5                    0

Whiterock                          37                       37                       0

 

BAND 3                                                                                   

Woodstock                        30                       30                       0

 

      In the document Libraries NI stresses that they intend to engage with customers in respect of each library where hours are to be reduced.  This engagement will take place in January 2012 after the Libraries NI Board has made a decision on the review proposals.  Libraries NI have highlighted that they aim to provide a spread of opening hours across libraries which are geographically close to each other, as far as possible, to enable users to access library services for as many hours as possible

 

      EQIA

 

      Libraries NI agreed that the proposals resulting from the policy review should be issued for consultation and the potential equality impacts should be assessed through an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA).

 

      The EQIA acknowledges that people in certain section 75 categories may suffer an adverse differential impact, although the extent of that impact will depend on each individual and cannot be defined for an entire section 75 category.  Libraries NI have identified mitigating measures to reduce the adverse impact.

 

4.0       Resource Implications

 

      N/A

 

5.0Equality Implications

 

      The EQIA acknowledges that people in certain section 75 categories may suffer an adverse differential impact. Libraries NI have identified mitigating measures to reduce the adverse impact

 

6.0Recommendations

 

      The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee is asked to consider the consultation document & EQIA attached at appendix 1 & 2 and to consider if it wishes to either:

 

a.     Authorise the corporate response to be submitted to Libraries NI

or

 

b.          Refer to the Party Groupings on the Council for individual consideration and comment.

 

                                                                                                     Appendix 3

 

NI Libraries Review of Opening Hours

 

Belfast City Council Draft Response

 

1.0 Introduction

              

Belfast City Council welcomes the opportunity to respond to the review of opening hours of libraries in Northern Ireland. 

 

The Council has made comment on a number of occasions about the role of libraries in local communities and the potential that the service represents in meeting local needs.  This response reiterates many of the points previously made and the important role we believe that libraries have to play in terms of building a sense of inclusion and citizenship, as well as developing an understanding of our heritage, cultural diversity and dealing with conflict.

 

The Council notes that Libraries NI have selected reduced opening hours as one of several initiatives as the reduction can be reversed at a later date if the economic position improves.  The Council would strongly advocate this principle.  We recognise that this initiative is being implemented in order to avoid library closures.

 

In its response to the RPA Further Consultation Document in September 2005, Belfast City Council stated that it believed that it was essential, when thinking about the future of the public library service, to agree what role we expect the libraries of tomorrow to perform.  The Council is committed to the view that successful libraries are not simply about a formal academic understanding of education; they are also about improving quality of life through the provision of a combination of educational, social, cultural, health and general information opportunities for local people. 

 

The Council would reiterate its comments made in April 2010 to the consultation document ‘Meeting the Demands for a Modern Public Library Service within Northern Ireland - Stage 1: Greater Belfast Area’

 

As previously highlighted Belfast City Council would be keen to explore the co-location of library services within Belfast City Council owned buildings.  Belfast City Council previously recommended the need for a more collaborative approach in the creation of estates strategies and the co-location of services in the future.  It is important that Libraries NI work closely with other statutory organisations, particularly with the Council, to ensure that a collaborative partnership is adopted.  This would help to ensure that the service would reflect the needs of the community by working to incorporate other public services within the facility – based on best practice facilities such as the Grove Well-being centre.

 

The council recognises the need to deliver savings as required by the NI Executive, however would stress that Libraries have a strong role to play, in terms of building a sense of inclusion and citizenship, as well as developing an understanding of our heritage, cultural diversity and dealing with conflict.  It is critical that libraries are seen as a public place for community interaction and accessible to all.  Any reduction in hours should take account of the needs of the users of that library in terms of accessibility.

 

Libraries are an important meeting place for social and community activities many associated with life-long learning outcomes but also just places to drop in, attend thematic events, meet socially and are used by the local community in such a way.  Libraries are regularly used as community spaces and local people use them as such.  In particular, older people, younger people and migrant workers use libraries frequently.

 

With respect to Libraries being allocated to bands mainly on the basis of the historic level of usage, it is interesting to note that the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals “What Makes a Good Library Service – Guidelines on public library provision in England for portfolio holders in local Councils”  clearly states that “ Libraries benefit everyone, whether or not they use their local library or not.  They stand for intellectual freedom, democratic engagement, community cohesion, social justice and equality of opportunity” the guide goes on to say that “Libraries give identity to a community and provide opportunities for everyone in it. 

 

In Belfast the opportunities for libraries to offer a safe and shared environment for people from all sections of the community is also an important consideration

 

The Council would highlight that The Department of Culture & Leisure in the report “Delivering Tomorrow’s Libraries” stated under the heading “Access” that “Static libraries should be located and designed so as to provide suitable access, mobile libraries should serve people where there is no static library, and opening hours should meet the needs of users – with the target – 85% of households have access to a library service within 2 miles”.  Libraries NI should be mindful of this when making decisions in relation to proposed reduction of hours.

 

The Council would again highlight the need to consider alternative methods of delivery and it would be worthwhile to note that, across the world, an increasing number of public libraries are being located in, or close to, shopping centres in recognition of the very large numbers of people which shopping centres attract.  There is mutual benefit to retailers and libraries of co-location, with the added benefit of parking convenience for library users.  In the United Kingdom, research found that placing a library in a shopping centre puts the library where many people can easily visit. This includes people from a potentially larger population than would usually access a public library.

 

Libraries must be community facilities and for this reason the Council continues to believe that libraries should no longer be stand alone buildings but should be integrated with other public service facilities such as education and health for the ultimate benefit of the whole community.

 

One such example is a new £2 million Shepherd’s Bush Library which was opened at London’s biggest shopping centre in September 2009.  Situated at the heart of Westfield Shopping Centre the library was entirely built and fitted out by the centre’s owners at their own expense.

 

Belfast City Council’s comments are intended to be constructive and positive and the Council looks forward to working with Libraries NI to ensure that the review has a minimal impact on communities at the local level.

 

It is important to ensure that any decisions on reduced opening hours are made as a result of genuine engagement with the local community and that the equality implications of this strategy are fully considered.

 

Belfast City Council seeks reassurances from Library NI that any decisions about future library provision in Belfast should take into consideration the need to maintain shared spaces and would fully address issues relating to need in communities across the city.”

 

            The Committee approved the foregoing comments as the Council’s response to the consultation and agreed that it be amended to include a comment indicating that, whilst the reduction in opening hours appeared minimal, when taken into context with the previous decisions to close a number of libraries, the overall impact was significant.