Content

11.1

To provide an update and ask
the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee to endorse the
current extended Library Opening Hours. The report further sets out
a proposal to open all Council run libraries from lunchtime for one
day each month to allow for staff training and
development.

 

 

11.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That the Communities, Parks
and Leisure Policy Committee:
 

1.    
notes the contents of the report;
 

2.    
notes the data analysis in Appendix 1;
 

3.    
endorses the change in opening hours and that these
will continue as the standard opening hours for Council run
libraries; and
 

4.    
approves the proposal for Council run libraries to
open at a later time on day per month to allow for staff training
and development.

 

 

11.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

11.3.1

The new opening hours provide library
customers with the optimum available hours.

 

 

11.3.2

The new opening hours provide stable staff
resources.

 

 

11.3.3

The proposed monthly half day late opening
will enable investment in our staff, furthering their development
and ensuring they can offer the highest quality service to
customers.

 

 

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

11.4.1

We could revert to the original
opening hours. However, the way our service is currently
structured, coupled with our available budget resources, mean that
we would not be able to offer our customers consistency or the
high-quality service they are now receiving.

 

 

11.4.2

Operating the previous opening hours often
meant that we had to close our libraries at short notice because we
cannot provide the right resources and the new opening hours has
mostly prevented this from happening once the Service recruited to
a significant number of vacancies over the summer of 2023.

 

 

11.4.3

There may be opportunities to integrate and
co-locate library services with other government and partner
agencies who share library values in the future, and we will
continue to explore these opportunities. Any changes would need to
include an impact assessment for customers and would be subject to
further consultation.

 

 

11.4.4

There is an option to pay additional overtime
for staff training and development. However, this would adversely
impact our staff teams as they would need to complete all training
and development activities outside of their normal working hours
and full-time staff would routinely work 6 days a week. This would
also adversely impact the libraries budget which is already
committed to savings targets.

 

 

11.4.5

There is an option to not close our libraries
for half a day each month to allow for staff training and
development. However, this would mean that staff would need to take
ad hoc time out of their working day to complete the necessary
training, one to ones and any personal development. This would
likely have an impact on customers as libraries would not be able
to provide a consistent service.