Consultation

Connecting Communities Consultation

What is this Consultation?

The purpose of this consultation is to invite discussion on the challenges facing Coventry City Council on a set of ten proposals for: libraries, play centres, public conveniences, community centres and the youth commissioning budget as we consider making changes to the way our services are delivered from 2016/17. The consultation will take place from 7th December 2015 (9am) to 1st February 2016 (5pm).

What is the issue?

We are making proposals against a backdrop of spending cuts that will see our government grant cut by half by 2017. We have no choice about reducing services and making tough decisions against the stark reality of having to deliver services with at least £250 per head less to spend on every man, woman and child in Coventry than we had in 2010. This will call for wide-scale transformation of services, focused on the communities and neighbourhoods that need our support, using innovative ways of delivering services that are very different to the ways we’ve delivered them in the past.

The proposals will not mean the widespread closure of libraries. We still have to make difficult choices but we’ve listened to Coventry peoples’ views and are committed to finding new ways of working with communities to provide library services.

The proposals also include the establishment of a widespread engagement programme to seek views on how the Council can make best use of its remaining resources, share ideas and explore opportunities to combine resources, better understand the extent to which complementary community provision can be developed and explore the potential role of local communities in the provision of existing Council services.

How much does the Council need to save?

These would enable £1.2million worth of savings to be delivered in 2016/17.

So who will this affect?

Although these proposals are not as wide-ranging (in terms of large scale closures of facilities like libraries) they will have an impact on residents.

Proposals for change

We are consulting on the following ten proposals. These are as follows:

1  For the Council to stop providing play activities at Edgewick and Eagle Street Play Centres and to explore the option for them to be used for nursery provision for 2, 3 and 4 year olds instead.

2  To end delivery of library services from the Arena Park Library facility (and not renew the lease) and to enter into discussions to relocate reduced library provision at an alternative community location in Holbrooks

3  To end delivery of library services (and not renew the lease) from the current Willenhall Library facility and to continue discussions with the Haggard Centre about a more cost effective community library being located within the Centre.

4  To end the mobile library service.

5  To cut the library media fund of £658,000 to £558,000 for 2016/17.

6  For Central Library to continue to open seven days per week, but to close one hour earlier on weekdays – closing at 7pm instead of 8pm.

7  To standardise opening hours across all community libraries. All community libraries will be closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. This will mean Caludon Castle, Earlsdon and Foleshill libraries closing on Wednesdays and Bell Green, Earlsdon, Foleshill, Stoke and Tile Hill closing on Sundays. In addition to these reductions in opening hours, to pursue alternative ways of running the libraries working with other statutory and/or voluntary sector organisations and groups.

8  Withdraw the youth services commissioning budget for 2016/17 and work with the community and voluntary sector to explore the best way that youth services for young people should be delivered across Coventry.

9  To close six public conveniences located outside the city centre, keeping open the. two city centre public conveniences. 

10  Asset transfer remaining community centres to community organisations on a full responsibility basis.

How can I have my say?

We invite you to take part in this consultation from 7th December 2015 and provide us with your feedback on the proposals. You can do this by:

•  Completing the on-line surveys

•  E-mailing ConnectingCommunities@coventry.gov.uk.

•  Telephoning: 024 7683 4390.

•  Attending one of our drop-in sessions where you will have the opportunity to meet managers from across all the services impacted to find out more and to give your feedback.

•  Attending drop-in sessions that specifically focused on either libraries, play centres or the youth commissioning budget. These sessions will be shown here shortly.

•  By completing a paper copy of the survey response forms. Available from libraries and play centres or by downloading a copy of the survey from the Connecting Communities webpage

Please go to the Connecting Communities webpage for up to date information about the Connecting Communities programme.

Decision making

Once the responses to the consultation have been evaluated, and a final equality analysis has been completed, we plan to take a report to our Cabinet on 23rd February 2016 (10am).