Nottingham City Council has been criticised for positively rating its commitment to providing a network of libraries which meet the needs of the city's citizens at a time when three are still at risk of closure. Discussions are still underway as to whether three 'vital' libraries across the city should be axed as part of a plan to save just under £80,000 a year.
The Labour-run authority had detailed five options to save three libraries after thousands of residents, organisations and a campaign group condemned plans to axe them and save just £79,000. It was initially understood the savings from closing the Basford, Aspley and the Radford-Lenton libraries would total £233,000, to be phased over three years between 2021 and 2024.
However after a "restructure of frontline services", which provided a saving of £154,000 to date, shutting the three sites would only save a remaining £79,000 each year. The council had been arguing its current financial situation and continued pressure from a Government-appointed improvement board, had forced the council to enact difficult decisions to save every penny possible.
During a meeting at Loxley House on Wednesday (September 7), the council revealed it had rated its commitment to "provide a network of inclusive, sustainable and quality public libraries to compliment the new central library and which meet the needs of Nottingham citizens" as 'green'. There were three possible options; green, amber or red.
Pavlos Kotsonis, the portfolio holder for leisure, culture and planning who represents Lenton and Wollaton East, says: "This commitment as you can see is green and is expected to remain green and this is due to the fact it takes into account the opening of two new libraries, one in Sherwood which is going to be this winter and of course the new central library which is going to be ready by summer next year."
Both a Conservative councillor and a Labour councillor however raised issue with how the council had positively rated its commitment to provide a library service which meets the needs of Nottingham citizens. This is particularly important because, under the Public Libraries & Museums Act 1964 councils must, by law, "provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons in the area that want to make use of it".
Andrew Rule, who represents Clifton West for the Conservatives, told the committee: "I hate to be pedantic, but I am quite good at it, I don't quite see how you can say providing a network of inclusive, sustainable and quality public libraries that compliment the central library is both green as a current outcome and expected outcome of green when, on the neighbouring page, building the central library with a particular focus on children is listed as amber, and when three of your libraries aren't ready yet?"
Similarly Angharad Roberts, Labour councillor for the Castle ward, echoed his concerns. She added: "I do actually want to follow on from that point because I do share some concerns on the current commitment being shown as green.
"When you were talking us through the presentation you mentioned that two libraries are due to open I hope that isn't being counted towards the current rank because being due to open is, you know, an expected outcome.
"And so I would hope that was not a factor. I also think, bearing in mind for understandable reasons, the central library project has been delayed and the city has not had access to a central library since March 2020 I do find it really quite difficult to say that the total library network in the city is currently green."
Councillor Kotsonis replied to say: "I would remind you the Libraries and Museums Act 1964, which obviously talks about how providing a comprehensive and efficient service, but unfortunately it does not define the word efficient. Therefore by saying the service is efficient, it will be efficient, and we are already working on a number of ways to protect the libraries from closure."
Frank Jordan, the director of resident services, also emphasised that, under the law, it does not say how many libraries there should be to maintain a sustainable network and so this is open to interpretation. The council however agreed to revisit its commitments.
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