Shropshire Council is continuing to develop as a commissioning Council and to setting out its future commissioning intentions.  Alongside this the Council is considering which parts of its business might be best delivered locally and will seek to reflect this within its future commissioning intentions.

Specifically the Council wants to work with partners to re-design existing face to face customer focused services including its libraries and customer service points in order to provide places that residents can easily access services and get information and advice that both helps them and enables them to help others within their community.

Our vision is that traditional face to face services will be delivered outside Shropshire Council by community focused enterprises who recognise and support the important role that organisations and individuals who are active in their communities have.

This approach, often referred to as localism, is also a key part of the government’s effort to decentralise power and to support communities to be more empowered and to have a bigger say on the issues that matter to them.

We want to:

• Support the development of modern sustainable libraries achieved by the active involvement of community partners in the day to day operation of the library and the development of self-service facilities. Ongoing “back office” support provided by Shropshire Council.
• Explore opportunities to co-locate libraries with other services and partners within “community hubs” and to create synergies where appropriate.
• Provide flexible space to allow for library events such as Rhyme Time, Time to Listen, author events, local history sessions etc.
• Provide public access computer facilities and free Wi-fi provision.  

We understand the importance of a face to face service to many of our customers who may not be able to use alternative means of doing business such as over the telephone or online or who need help to use these alternatives.

We want to make sure that people are still able to get the direct help they need, when they need it and we therefore propose working in partnership with other providers, including libraries and parish / town councils, of help and advice in different localities. By doing this, people will be able toaccess a much wider range of help and services than we currently offer.

In addition to direct face to face help, we will install a telephone and a computer both of which will be free to use so that our customers have an extended range of ways to contact us and conduct business with Shropshire Council.

The cost of upgrading the first and second floors is unlikely to be a cost effective option for Shropshire Council. If during the consultation period a community organisation comes forward with a proposal and a sustainable business model their proposal will be considered as an alternative option

The Town Council is committed to supporting the long term future provision of Public Library Services in Ellesmere, either provided or commissioned by Shropshire Council. It will be participating in the consultation process by responding and contributing its views and suggestions. Shropshire Council will be discussing the consultation and options with the Town Council to enable it to form a view as to whether there is any locally appropriate role for it to give consideration.

Section 7 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 (“the PLMA”) states that 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
• 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
• securing co-operation between the library authority and others exercising public functions within the county.

Within the preferred proposal to transfer the day to day management of the library to a new community enterprise organisation Shropshire Council will retain the overall statutory responsibility for library provision.

Within the preferred option it is planned to at least maintain the existing opening times of the library, and possibly extend them too.

Under option 2 opening hours would be reduced to make the savings.

The library will still be staffed, but within the preferred option the staff will no longer work for Shropshire Council. Existing staff will have the opportunity to transfer within the TUPE regulations to the new provider.  Under option two the staff will continue to be employed by Shropshire Council.

Yes, these services will continue as they are now.

Shropshire Council will continue to provide a range of “back office” support functions, principally in access to the library management system, book stock, self-service machines, training, professional support, the support of a librarian based in Ellesmere etc.

The Council’s wish is to help create long term sustainable local approaches. The nature of future roles and responsibilities, support, risk, etc. will be defined within a contract between Shropshire Council and the new provider.

Shropshire Council will have a contract with the new provider, which will provide them with security. The intention is to regularly review the agreement and to extend it as appropriate.

However, if the new provider can’t run the service for any reason the library would revert back to Shropshire Council who would explore the option of running the library with another local partner.

Yes this is part of a wider process across the county. Shropshire Libraries must save £1.3 million over the next 3 year period, and we’re reviewing how services are delivered at all Shropshire’s libraries. Consultations are taking place at a local level through “community conversations”.

Nationally the way libraries are run is also changing, with the community taking a bigger role in the running of libraries, so this process isn’t unique to Shropshire.

Yes, staff will be able to help you make your application between set times or you can self-serve using the new public computer.

Library staff will be on hand to help and advise if you cannot complete a form.

When you see someone at a Customer Service Point they usually do what is needed via their computer, a new public computer will be available and staff will be on hand to help if needed.

The phones are linked directly to Shropshire Council’s Customer Service Centre who will be able to deal with most things for you.

We can provide almost all of the same services over the phone including making payments.

The service will be available for at least the same opening hours as the library, there could be an increase over the current opening times depending on the option chosen.

Customer Services staff will train the library staff and make sure that they are kept up to date when things change. Also, support will be available via helplines should they need help.

Shropshire Council has some funding available from central government to make building alterations that would support a sustainable library managed by a community organisation.

Some early plans have been drawn up for changes to the Meres Day Centre

To accommodate the library.  These would be further developed with key stakeholders should a decision be taken to move the library.

Floor area public (net) in square metres of the library is 103.25

Identified floor area space in square metres at the Meres Day Centre is 99.88.

Yes.

It is proposed to create a new footpath from the Meres Day Centre onto the corner of Trimpley Road to provide improved pedestrian access.  The library will have it’s own entrance door.

Shropshire Council has a strong commitment to working to promote equality, diversity and social inclusion and the potential impact of the preferred proposal on library users, particularly those who might be impacted by any change, is being assessed through the completion of an equality and social inclusion impact assessment.

The building is accessible for wheelchair users. Staff delivering services at the building will receive training to help them assist customers with disabilities to access the range of services available at the building.

Parking is very limited at the Meres Day Centre.

Public parking is available at the Comrades club for a nominal fee.

Access and safeguarding considerations are a top priority and will be considered very carefully should a recommendation to move the library be confirmed. A separate access will be provided to the library and the library will occupy its own dedicated space.

On the flip side there is an opportunity to involve day care users in the library and the activities that its offers. Some activities might be for the public, others might be for day centre users, and others might be for children and young people.  A joint approach would seek to provide activities for the community as a whole. A community café is already provided within the Meres Day Centre and is supported by volunteers and users of the centre.

The vision is for a community library that is accessible to all, with activities organised accordingly.

Yes, provision will continue within the existing building until alterations are completed within the new building. Some minor disruption may occur when the services are transferred to the new building.

As owners of the building the trust have been fully informed on the proposals and consulted on potential changes to the building to accommodate any changes in use.  They are aware that the building may require some works and we would work with them to ensure minimum disruption to the residents.

Consultation has taken place with the users of the day centre and their carers; their main concern was which rooms would be available to them following any changes and they were assured that any areas of the building used by the day centre would be updated and improved if necessary.

They were excited at the prospect of the library coming into the building, as many day centre users are regular visitors to the present library.

No decision has been taken with regard the future of Fulwood House, whilst it is still an operational Council property. In the event that the property is declared surplus to Council requirements, the future use will be considered in the context of the Council’s Asset Management Strategy. This will include the possibility of disposing of the property. If a disposal is determined as the best option of the Council, the capital receipt generated from the disposal will be used to finance the Council’s countywide capital programme. The Council does not ring-fence capital receipts to the previous occupying service or the geographical area in which the asset is located. Instead they are used to support the overall capital programme, which is allocated on an appraisal basis based on the priorities of the Council.