The consultation has now closed, thank you for your contributions. A consultation report will be published in due course.
Wirral Council is consulting on how to deliver a library service to meet the needs of the people of the borough.
The council is asking people to give their opinions on three options to provide a modernised service which will be sustainable.
Wirral Council is also facing significant financial challenges and is currently going through a detailed process to set a budget for the next year. This is part of a wider approach to address long term structural issues in the council’s finances and deliver substantial savings to balance the budget.
This consultation follows a 12-week consultation in 2021 on the new Library Strategy. The aim is for the new operating model to create the much-needed capacity and resource to invest in the quality and equality of the service across the borough, by realigning and focusing available resources where they are needed most.
The options are:
Option 1 – This option would see one Central library (Birkenhead Library) and the closure of the remaining library sites. The online library and Home Reader Service would be retained as well as investment in a new mobile library service to mitigate loss of physical provision. This option would also contribute a saving of £2.2m towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year.
Option 2 – This option would be the delivery of a library service with four central libraries (Birkenhead, Wallasey, West Kirby, and Bebington Libraries) and the closure of the remaining library sites. Much like Option 1, this option aims to consolidate and focus available resources with the aim of providing a better quality and defined service from fewer sites. This would be supported with an enhanced digital online offer, Home Reader Service, and the investment in a new mobile library service. This would contribute a saving of £1m towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year.
Option 3 – Recommended Option: This would see a saving of £814k towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year through retaining the four main central Libraries plus four smaller community libraries which are
- Birkenhead Central, West Kirby, Wallasey Central, and Bebington Central
- Eastham, Moreton, Upton, and Heswall
- Five additional sites would be established as unstaffed RFID sites giving residents a self-serviced library offer in a co-located venue. These are: Leasowe – Millennium Centre, Beechwood – Co-located in community asset, Ridgeway – In school, St James – St James Centre, Seacombe – Seacombe Children’s Centre
- The online library offers 24/7 access and the proposed new mobile library hours offered are subject to the emerging programme.
The Policy & Resources Committee has made a recommendation to Council in relation to libraries to make sufficient monies available to enable option 3 (recommended option) to be amended to include Greasby and Rock Ferry libraries. Also allowing all libraries to continue to operate until 1st November 2022 whilst expressions of interest for their community asset transfer are sought and business cases developed and assessed. This will be referred to in the survey questions as ‘Option 3 as amended’ and you are given an opportunity to comment on it in addition to the other options.
Detailed information on the new operating models the full Committee report and supporting appendices can be found here.
The priority for a new operating model has always been our statutory duty as a Library Authority, however the Library Service has had to be considerate of these current challenges and has highlighted the associated saving against each option for a new operating model. The council is legally obliged to set a balanced budget or risk Government intervention, and the associated savings attached to each option are to support the authority on reaching a stable financial footing for the long-term.
For any enquires or for more information please contact the Library Consultation team via the email provided.
The Library Service is now looking for views and feedback from all residents, library users and non-users, stakeholders and interested parties on the new proposed operating models as well as new ideas and opportunities that may support the future of the Library Service.
The consultation has now closed, thank you for your contributions. A consultation report will be published in due course.
Wirral Council is consulting on how to deliver a library service to meet the needs of the people of the borough.
The council is asking people to give their opinions on three options to provide a modernised service which will be sustainable.
Wirral Council is also facing significant financial challenges and is currently going through a detailed process to set a budget for the next year. This is part of a wider approach to address long term structural issues in the council’s finances and deliver substantial savings to balance the budget.
This consultation follows a 12-week consultation in 2021 on the new Library Strategy. The aim is for the new operating model to create the much-needed capacity and resource to invest in the quality and equality of the service across the borough, by realigning and focusing available resources where they are needed most.
The options are:
Option 1 – This option would see one Central library (Birkenhead Library) and the closure of the remaining library sites. The online library and Home Reader Service would be retained as well as investment in a new mobile library service to mitigate loss of physical provision. This option would also contribute a saving of £2.2m towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year.
Option 2 – This option would be the delivery of a library service with four central libraries (Birkenhead, Wallasey, West Kirby, and Bebington Libraries) and the closure of the remaining library sites. Much like Option 1, this option aims to consolidate and focus available resources with the aim of providing a better quality and defined service from fewer sites. This would be supported with an enhanced digital online offer, Home Reader Service, and the investment in a new mobile library service. This would contribute a saving of £1m towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year.
Option 3 – Recommended Option: This would see a saving of £814k towards the council’s budget gap in the next financial year through retaining the four main central Libraries plus four smaller community libraries which are
- Birkenhead Central, West Kirby, Wallasey Central, and Bebington Central
- Eastham, Moreton, Upton, and Heswall
- Five additional sites would be established as unstaffed RFID sites giving residents a self-serviced library offer in a co-located venue. These are: Leasowe – Millennium Centre, Beechwood – Co-located in community asset, Ridgeway – In school, St James – St James Centre, Seacombe – Seacombe Children’s Centre
- The online library offers 24/7 access and the proposed new mobile library hours offered are subject to the emerging programme.
The Policy & Resources Committee has made a recommendation to Council in relation to libraries to make sufficient monies available to enable option 3 (recommended option) to be amended to include Greasby and Rock Ferry libraries. Also allowing all libraries to continue to operate until 1st November 2022 whilst expressions of interest for their community asset transfer are sought and business cases developed and assessed. This will be referred to in the survey questions as ‘Option 3 as amended’ and you are given an opportunity to comment on it in addition to the other options.
Detailed information on the new operating models the full Committee report and supporting appendices can be found here.
The priority for a new operating model has always been our statutory duty as a Library Authority, however the Library Service has had to be considerate of these current challenges and has highlighted the associated saving against each option for a new operating model. The council is legally obliged to set a balanced budget or risk Government intervention, and the associated savings attached to each option are to support the authority on reaching a stable financial footing for the long-term.
For any enquires or for more information please contact the Library Consultation team via the email provided.
The Library Service is now looking for views and feedback from all residents, library users and non-users, stakeholders and interested parties on the new proposed operating models as well as new ideas and opportunities that may support the future of the Library Service.
