* Llangollen Library in Castle Street.
As part of its response to upcoming financial
pressures, Denbighshire County Council has asked services across the County to
identify and propose potential savings.
The council says it will have a funding deficit during the
coming financial year and, like local authorities across Wales, will need to
find significant savings to ensure it can continue to deliver its essential
services.
The council is proposing a specific reduction to its Library/One Stop Shop
Service to help meet this funding gap.
The proposal put forward is a 50% reduction in opening hours across Denbighshire’s
Library Service.
All Libraries will remain partially open so that services can
continue to be available for residents, albeit at a reduced rate. Also included
are proposals to reduce other elements of the service, e.g., Home Library
Service.
The
proposal aims to ensure that access to a library is available geographically
across the county each weekday.
Therefore, libraries which are fairly close
together, namely Ruthin and Denbigh, Llangollen and Corwen, St Asaph and
Rhuddlan, and Prestatyn and Rhyl, will complement each other’s service by
ensuring one is open for at least part of each day.
Councillor
Emrys Wynne, Cabinet Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage said: “Over recent years, Denbighshire County Council has worked hard to build a
comprehensive service, and the Council is hugely disappointed that it is unable
to continue with this service in its entirety. However, this is the economic
reality that is affecting all local authorities at present.
“Unfortunately,
this model will have an impact on Libraries staff across the service and the
Council will meet with staff and Trade Unions to fully consult on these
proposals.
“The model
put forward aims to present a fair and equitable service across the County. By
ensuring that all libraries remain open in some capacity, the Council hopes it
will be able to return to a full service in future when the economic climate is
more favourable.”
The
proposal will go to a consultation phase from Tuesday, October 3 and will run
until Monday, October 30.
Members of the public can have their say either
through the Council’s consultation portal, County Conversation on https://countyconversation.denbighshire.gov.uk/project/755, or they can submit hard copy responses in any
council run Library in Denbighshire.
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