We have previously held a community conversation on the future of Church Stretton library in which views from residents were sought on a proposal ‘to work in partnership with South Shropshire Academy Trust to provide a library located at Church Stretton School’. Take a look at the summary response information.

The purpose of this consultation is to:

• set out our response to the issues raised from the community conversation
• provide further information to clarify the Council’s position regarding its preferred option to provide a library at Church Stretton School
• to set out why other potential alternatives that have been explored are not, in our opinion, viable or sustainable.

It is also an opportunity for new alternative proposals to be made.

The responses from this consultation will be used as a final step in determining the future delivery of the library service in Church Stretton.

A set of frequently asked questions and answers was created during the community consultation. You might find these helpful.

Clarification of the council’s statutory duties to deliver library services

Section 7 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 (“the PLMA”)

Under the provisions of the PLMA, the Council, as a library authority, has a statutory duty (not a discretionary power) to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons wishing to make use of it.

The PLMA does not define what is meant by “comprehensive and efficient”. However it does provide that the library authority must make facilities for borrowing books and other materials available to people who live, or work, or are undergoing full-time education in Shropshire. It also provides that in fulfilling the duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, it shall in particular have regard to the desirability of:

• Providing facilities for the borrowing of, and reference to, books and other printed matter, pictures, gramophone records, films and other materials in sufficient quantity and quality to meet the general requirements and any special requirement both of adults and children; and
• encouraging adults and children to make full use of the library service, providing advice as to its use, and making available such bibliographical and other information as may be required; and
• securing co-operation between the library authority and others exercising public functions within the county.

The options proposed within this document will meet this statutory duty. Other alternative proposals made as part of the consultation would also have to.

Proposals that have been explored and ARE NOT being made within this consultation document

Relocation of the library service to the Mayfair Centre

We recognise that maintaining a town centre location for the library would be the preference of many active library users and so discussions have taken place with the Mayfair Centre to establish whether the planned Health and Wellbeing Centre could incorporate the library service.

Mayfair had already started negotiations with partner organisations to see who might be interested in running services using the new centre.

It was soon established that the space that could be used for the library was too small to accommodate a viable library service. The dedicated space available was approximately 30 sq. metres with some joint use of the communal area in the centre of the building.

By comparison the existing main library space is approximately 127sq. metres and the computer room gives an additional 23 sq. metres. The library space would therefore have been reduced to one-fifth of its current size with proportional reductions in library stock also required.

The Mayfair Centre itself was also investigated as a possible location for the library service, but it also does not have sufficient space to accommodate a viable library service.

On the basis of this information we do not consider that relocating the library service to either the Mayfair Centre or the planned Health and Well-Being Centre is a viable option and therefore it is not being taken forward as an alternative solution within this consultation document.

Options that ARE being included in this consultation

• Reduced service within the current building
• Relocation of the library to Church Stretton School

Take a look at the attached options comparison document which also includes details of the current service to allow easy comparison.

Additional information

Clarification on an element of the proposal to relocate the library service to Church Stretton School following the publication of an article in the local press.

Part of the proposal to relocate the library service to Church Stretton School is that the joint public and school library service will be delivered by school library staff and be employed by the school. The current public library staff would not be transferred with the service. The text below is an excerpt from the Frequently Asked Questions, which accompany the consultation document.

‘How will the library be staffed if it moves to the school?

The library would be operated by paid members of staff who would be employed by the school. One is a qualified librarian. This would also be in partnership with the Shropshire Council Library network which will be subject to a Service Level Agreement (SLA).’ 

Summary

Having considered the responses received to the previous community conversation, we want to respond to these and consult in light of this information to ensure that our decision making process is fully informed.

Having considered the options listed above and taking into consideration the detail within them, our proposal is to relocate Church Stretton library to Church Stretton School to create a shared public and school library on the grounds that it is the most appropriate option to deliver a sustainable library service for the town.

Click on the 'Get Involved' tab at the top of this page to find out how to comment on this proposal.

Documents

• Church Stretton library - options comparison document.pdf