Poor Areas Worse Off if Libraries Close

The proposals to shut 16 of Fife's libraries was discussed yesterday by Fife Council’s education, health and social care scrutiny committee.

Over 2,800 people took part in the public consultation to gauge the impact of Fife Cultural Trust’s (FCT) proposals on affected communities. 

Among the concerns raised was that areas of high deprivation would be hit worse by the closures. 

Councillors also discussed the cuts faced by FCT just three years after it began management of the service.

A decision on the proposals will be made by the council's executive comittee next Tuesday. 

FCT's board remain of the view that the proposals which were consulted upon remain the best way to deliver the significant budget savings required and to ensure high quality library and cultural services for its customers.

With many job seeking services requiring internet, Councillor Julie Ford said the council should compensate areas which will be losing their local library.

Cllr Julie Ford said: "One of the alternatives is to supply St Ninians with computers to ensure that the community still has easy access to the internet.

"Another substantial commitment I wanted Fife Council to commit to, was to ensure that these community groups are supported both practically and financially."

Speaking in response to the agreed recommendations, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee Cllr Susan Leslie said: "Libraries are valued services in our local communities and this is a difficult debate to have. I’m pleased that we have worked together to raise these important points for Executive Committee consideration."

Implementation of the proposed hub and spoke model would deliver a total of 35 libraries across Fife, 30 of which would be operated by FCT on behalf of the Council.

Comments agreed to go to the executive committee for consideration:

• Concerns raised about the level of cuts that Fife Cultural Trust have faced soon after establishment, in comparison to other established trusts
• Concerns about disadvantaged communities being disproportionately affected
• The importance of making the distinction between Fife Cultural Trust ‘not listening to’ and ‘not being able to react to’ the concerns raised in the consultation and the constraints to respond to these
• Discussion around the Trust’s annual book fund budget
• Discussion around the Council’s potential sale of library buildings not being a saving that is passed back to the Trust
• The importance of making sure replacement services and alterations to mobile and housebound services take transport concerns and accessibility for rural communities into consideration
• Adequate support - from both Fife Council and Fife Cultural Trust, to help communities establish organisations providing alternative delivery models - would be vital. The involvement of Area Committees and Community Learning & Development would also be important in helping to establish trusts or charitable organisations.
• The evaluation process of alternative proposals must be robust and involve elected members as well as officers and the Trust, particularly when more than one model might come from the same community. Members would also wish to see alternative provision of library services to have access to new books and explore how funding for new books would work for them.