Shropshire Council will transfer the day to day running of Albrighton Library and Customer Service Point to Albrighton Parish Council, who will provide the same range of library and Customer Service Point services currently available under a renewable 3 year Service Level Agreement. The library and Customer Service Point will remain in its existing location at Station Road, Albrighton.  Opening hours would be reduced from the current 23.5 to 21.5.  This decision is based on evidence that not enough people are using the library between 5pm and 7pm on Fridays to justify keeping it open.

Some alterations to the Albrighton Library building will be made to create office space for Albrighton Parish Council, providing the opportunity for Albrighton Parish Council to become more visible and thereby more accessible to the public.  This will provide the opportunity to refurbish the library with movable shelving and to create a more modern flexible space.

Support for the customer service provision would be improved to align with the full library opening hours. The Customer Service function for Shropshire Council and Albrighton Parish Council will become more integrated and seamless for the public while still maintaining sufficient space for library services. 

This approach will provide the best chance for the development of the library and associated information and advice services to reflect local community circumstances and for the library services to be retained and sustained into the future.

It is important for consultees to understand that the individual elements within this proposal are interdependent and whilst comments can be made on the different elements they must be considered as one when consultees state whether they agree with the proposal or not.

Anticipated savings to Shropshire Council from these proposals - £7,950 pa

Anticipated savings to Albrighton Parish Council from these proposals – approximately £930 pa

Albrighton Library will continue to be run by Shropshire Council’s library service with the hours that the library is staffed reduced from the current 23.5 hours per week to 16 hours per week.

However, as with option 1 support for local residents to access Shropshire Council services will be provided via a freephone facility and a dedicated public computer but for fewer hours. The library staff will be on hand for anyone who needs help.

There will be no internal changes to the building and Albrighton Parish council office would remain in its current location.

Within this option there is a recognition that further financial pressure may come on the library and the on-going review of provision will be necessary.

Anticipated savings to Shropshire Council from these proposals - £7,950 pa

Anticipated savings to Albrighton Parish Council from these proposals - Nil

Albrighton Parish Council is currently located at The Red House, Albrighton, WV7 3LU within rented accommodation.

The parish council is the first tier of local government for the area. It provides the community with a democratic voice and a structure for taking community action.  Its activities fall into three main categories to meet local needs; representing the local community, delivering services to meet local needs, and improving quality of life and community well-being.  These existing powers were recently strengthened by powers contained in the Localism Act 2011.

Albrighton Library is located at Station Road, Station, Albrighton, WV7 3QH and is owned and managed by Shropshire Council.  The library offers the following services:

• Free membership for all
• The lending of adult books, audio books and DVDs
• A children’s library area and range of books for children
• A collection of books for teenagers
• A selection of books in large print
• Regular exchange of books with other libraries
• Request service - obtaining books from other libraries requested by customers
• Free access to public computers for library members
• Trained staff to issue and return books, answer enquiries, help people to choose books and use computers
• Online services on the library website for use 24/7
• Regular events such as story-times, rhyme-times, class visits from local schools, reading groups, author talks.
• Space for meetings of community groups, reading events, children’s story-times and activities and class visits from local schools
• Information and advice about other local services and  community groups

The present library opening hours are:

• Monday 2pm to 5pm                         
• Tuesday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm
• Wednesday 2pm - 5pm
• Friday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 7pm     
• Saturday 9.30am to 1pm

Total = 23.5 hours per week

In common with other libraries across the county and beyond library usage has been declining:

Disabled car parking is available on site and there is also free public parking nearby.

The direct running cost for Shropshire Council of managing the library is £27,800 per annum.

The Customer Service Point is located within the library at Station Road. The Customer Service Point provides signposting to a range of services including:

• Council and public information and services
• Community information to help with your everyday queries on health and care, money, leisure activities, what's on and much more
• Specialist advice sessions
• Free online access to information and services
• Free phone access to Council services

The Customer Service Point opening hours are the same as the Library.

Usage figures have been declining in recent years: