A CROSS-PARTY committee of North East Lincolnshire councillors has been formed, as work continues to support a bright and thriving future for our libraries.
The Library Services Select Committee met for the first time in November and held its second meeting this week, (Monday 1 December).
Made up of elected councillors, it will examine the findings of the recent public consultation, consider current service arrangements, look at the future of Grimsby Central Library and contribute to an over-arching strategy to shape how the council develops library services into the future.
As it looks towards future meetings, the committee is inviting interested parties or individuals to share information that they think is relevant. The committee is particularly interested in how libraries can become community hubs, providing a wider range of services.
Committee Chair, Cllr Steve Holland (Independent), said: “As fellow committee members and I re-examine all the evidence and work that has already taken place to look at our libraries and their future, we are keen to make sure that we don’t miss any opportunities for improvement that will ensure our libraries have a secure and exciting future. We are particularly keen to hear ideas that would offer a wider range of services.
“The consultations that were carried out indicate that most people want to have thriving public libraries and see them as very important. What we need to do now as a cross-party group, with the help of the whole community, is to suggest practical ideas that will contribute positively to creating a service that can grow and thrive,” he added.
The two-phase public consultation, held over the last two years, focused on Grimsby Central Library and those in Cleethorpes and Waltham and attracted more than 2,300 responses. The results are online here: Past consultations | NELC There was also a petition presented to Full Council.
A decision was then made and approved by the council’s Cabinet. North East Lincolnshire Council Leader Cllr Philip Jackson, and Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and the Visitor Economy Cllr Hayden Dawkins, said after taking in peoples’ views, Cleethorpes Library would stay in its present location, and there would be no change at Waltham.
They also explained how their desire was to keep Grimsby Central Library in its Top Town building, but full repair costs were needed. As work continues to assess the full renovation, there is a pop-up library in Freshney Place.
Following the consultation and a Full Council debate, it was also agreed to set up the Select Committee.
Supporting the aims of the committee, Cllr Dawkins said: “As a Cabinet, we have always said that we need to look at how we grow our libraries into vibrant multi-use spaces that can entertain, engage, and inspire people of all ages. We cannot stand still and the views of people who took part in the public consultation reflect that vision. What we now need to do is build a strategy that supports that, and I look forward to seeing how the work of the new Select Committee progresses.”
People who wish to make representations to the Select Committee, should email Democracy@nelincs.gov.uk providing their contact details and – in no more than 150 words – outlining the organisation they represent (if that is the case), the main points they wish to raise and whether they would be interested in addressing the Select Committee in person.
Article and image from NELC.
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