Proposals to re-shape Dorset’s library service have been referred back to councillors for more detailed work.
Dorset County Council’s policy development panel will consider plans to reduce the county’s network of libraries from 34 to 14 and inviting local communities to take over responsibility for the remaining 20.
The group will take on board views raised at yesterday’s meeting of the community overview committee – including comments by various library Friends groups – before embarking on public consultation in the spring.
Final recommendations will then be made to the full council in the summer.
The county council needs to find £54.9 million savings over the next three years, and around £800,000 is earmarked to come from the library service by 2012.
Some of these savings can be made by reducing the service’s book fund, but more wide-ranging changes have been put forward to find the bulk of the money.
The proposal is that the county council will continue to fully fund 14 of the existing 34 libraries., including Weymouth, Christchurch, Dorchester, Ferndown, Blandford, Bridport, Gillingham, Highcliffe, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Swanage, Wimborne, Verwood and Wareham.
These libraries currently account for about 80 per cent of all library visits and 78 per cent of active members. They also provide a good geographical spread and access to transport.
The remaining 20 library buildings would no longer be funded under this proposal, but instead offered up to local communities to run an independent library service, as well as other potential community uses.
Areas affected by this proposal include Beaminster, Burton Bradstock, Charmouth, Chickerell, Colehill, Corfe Castle, Corfe Mullen, Crossways, Littlemoor, Lyme Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Portland Tophill, Portland Underhill, Puddletown, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, Upton, West Moors, Wool and Wyke Regis.
It is also proposed that some of the areas would be covered by the mobile library service, especially where high community needs have been identified. And further investment would also be made in the increasingly popular internet service, where people can download books and access other services without leaving their homes.
Hilary Cox, Cabinet member for community services, said: “We recognise that libraries are essential in promoting reading, learning, public information and community activities. We are determined that, whatever happens, we will continue to provide an excellent core service which is accessible to all.
“Dorset is currently among the best served county areas in England in terms of libraries per 1,000 population, but unfortunately, the existing network is no longer affordable.
“We aim to make maximum use of the available budget, offer good value for money and retain a good service that will benefit as many people as possible. Our proposals takes into account population levels, the numbers of active users and items borrowed, distance from other libraries and transport links, as well as the relative costs of delivering some parts of the service.
“But we also want to give communities the chance to take over their local library. Subject to Cabinet approval next month, the policy development panel will look more closely at the options available before we go out to public consultation in March.”
Once public consultation is completed, a report will be brought back to the community overview committee in June, before final recommendations are made to the full county council in July.
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