Community library bids go under the spotlight

Bids by community groups to take on the running of local libraries in Swindon are being considered ahead of a cabinet meeting at the end of the month.

A total of 12 expressions have been received by Swindon Borough Council to support local libraries, after the local authority decided to cut funding to all but five core libraries in the borough - Central, North Swindon, West Swindon, Highworth and Park.

The department for culture, media and sport will be consulted ahead of the cabinet meeting on April 26 and it will meet key stakeholders including local councillors, library users and staff to map out recommendations for the way ahead.

Local groups or individuals had until 31 January to submit expressions of interest in the non-core libraries and the council’s officers are now supporting 12 groups to develop their plans and business cases.

The council has been working with Mutual Ventures, an independent organisation which specialises in developing charitable and public service mutual enterprises, to look at various delivery models for the town’s library service.

Suggested approaches include non-staffed libraries - where users are responsible for checking out and returning books and making use of volunteers from local schools to support local library provision.

Other delivery models include keeping the library service in-house so it continues to be run by the council, setting up a Local Authority Trading Company owned by the council with services delivered via a contract, or creating a Public Service Mutual.

A PSM would be a new organisation that shares ownership of the service between the council, communities and staff. The final model which will be assessed includes establishing a joint venture with an existing library service provider.

The options appraisal would also look at whether the delivery model would take the form of a Limited Company, Community Interest Company, Co-operative or Community Benefit Society and whether it should be a social enterprise or charity.

Cllr Mary Martin, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “I am delighted there is such strong interest from a number of groups. We will be working with the groups who have come forward to talk through their plans and ensure their proposals are robust enough to provide a sustainable service. At the same time, we will be working hard to find the best model for delivering our core service through the options appraisal so those five libraries have an equally sustainable future.”