Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of People

To consider a number of petitions relating to local library services.  The Councillors supporting the petitions have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the respective petition organisers.

The Cabinet Member for Education considered a report of the Executive Director of People that responded to a number of e-petitions and written petitions which had been presented to the Council requesting that it reconsider making cuts to local library services. These included petitions specifically related to the community libraries in Canley, Coundon, Earlsdon, Tile Hill and Willenhall and a further petition related more generally to the Library Service across the City. In accordance with the Council’s procedure for dealing with petitions, those related to library issues were heard by the Cabinet Member for Education.

The Cabinet Member advised that the Council was currently exploring alternative models of delivery which may retain services but deliver at a significantly reduced cost to the Council.  Options would include the co-location of different services and opportunities to co-operate with statutory and non-statutory partners in the City.  Any future proposals to make changes to the library service would be subject to public consultation.

The following six petitions were considered:

i)  An e-petition headed “Keep Earlsdon Library Open”, bearing 1396 signatures, organised by an Earlsdon Ward resident on behalf of the joint Earlsdon Neighbourhood Associations and sponsored by Councillor Ken Taylor OBE, an Earlsdon Ward Councillor.   The e-petition had been supplemented by a similarly worded written petition of 1,649 names.

  Councillor Taylor and the petition organiser attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners outlining the concerns of the residents should the library be closed. They indicated that the library was a community facility and provided more than the usual library services: it was a lifeline for mothers and toddlers; it assisted with homework; and it supported families involved in literacy programmes.The Library was the second busiest in Coventry.

ii)  An e-petition “Save Coundon Library, bearing 35 signatures, organised by a Radford Ward resident and sponsored by Councillor Skipper, a Radford Ward Councillor.

  Councillor Skipper and the petition organiser were unable to attend the meeting.

iii)  An e-petition “Save Tile Hill Library”, bearing 53 signatures, organised by a Woodlands Ward resident. 

The Woodlands Ward Residents was unable to attend the meeting.

iv)  An e-petition “Against Library Closures” was considered, bearing a total of 158 signatures, organised by the Coventry City Branch of UNISON. The petition had been supplemented by a similarly worded written petition of 2,253 names.

  The spokesperson for Unison attended the meeting and spoke in support of the petition indicating that the Library facility required skilled librarians to deliver the variety of activities and services required by the residents. 

v)  A written petition “Save Canley Library” was received bearing 136 signatures, organised by a Westwood Ward resident and sponsored by Councillor Skinner, a Westwood Ward Councillor.

Councillor Skinner attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners on the importance of retaining the library service for Canley residents and raised a number of concerns, in particular, protecting the vulnerable in the area. The petition organiser was unable to attend the meeting.

vi)  A written “Petition to save Willenhall Library” was received bearing 405, organised by a Binley and Willenhall Ward resident and sponsored by Councillor Lakha, a Binley and Willenhall Councillor.

The petition organiser and Councillor Lakha attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the residents. They raised their concerns in respect of the level of service reduction that may be considered by the Council. The Willenhall Library building was not owned by the City Council.

RESOLVED, that after due consideration of the report and the matters raised at the meeting, the Cabinet Member for Education notes the petitions and requests that Officers write to the petition organisers to advise them of the Council’s current position and assure them that the petitioners will be encouraged to participate in any discussions in relation to the future of library services in Coventry.