Have Your Say on Library and Museum Hours

People can have their say on proposals to reduce opening hours at libraries, the record office and two museums, to cut costs and keep them open.

Leicestershire County Council’s ruling cabinet has agreed to consult the public on two options, which could cut costs by between £426,000 and £433,000.

From Monday (April 18th), people can have their say via an online questionnaire or fill out forms at libraries and museums. For further details, see www.leics.gov.uk/museumsreview and www.leics.gov.uk/librariesreview

David Sprason, Cabinet member for Adults and Communities, said: In these difficult times, some councils are closing museums and libraries, but we’re proposing a different approach.

By closing them at their least busy times, we can cut costs and keep them open at the most popular times. This reflects the public’s desire to get value for money from these services.”

Consultation will take place until May 31st for museums and the record office and until June 24th for libraries. Proposals for individual libraries can be viewed online, or at the libraries themselves.

Proposals will be reviewed in the light of the consultation responses and a final decision will be taken by cabinet in July.

Background Notes:

·Responses to the council’s budget consultation last December showed that people wanted savings to be made from museums, arts and the record office (63 per cent of respondents) and libraries (56 per cent).

·Following an independent review, the county council agreed to save 40 per cent from the £10 million libraries, museums and arts budget over the next four years, as part of its £79 million savings.

The proposals are as follows:

Option one: to save £426,000 per year, by:

·Market town libraries (seven) – reducing evening opening from four evenings to two and till 7pm instead of 8pm; reducing Saturday opening from 9.30am-5pm to 10am-4pm; reducing Sunday opening at Loughborough and Oadby from 11am-4pm to 12pm-4pm
·Shopping centre libraries (nine) – reducing evening opening from two per week to one per week; shutting on Saturdays at 1pm, instead of 5pm
·Community libraries (38) – reduce from a minimum of 20 hours per week to 13 hours per week, with Saturday closing cut from 5pm to 1pm
·Melton Carnegie museum – closing from November-February, plus Sundays and Mondays throughout the year and closure from 3pm during March
·Donington-le-Heath Manor House – closing from November-February, plus Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the year and closure from 3pm during March
·Record Office – closing on Fridays

Option two: to save £433,000 per year, by:

·Having the same proposals for libraries and the record office as option one
·Melton Carnegie museum – closing from November-January, plus Sundays, Mondays and Fridays throughout the year and closure from 3pm during February and March
·Donington-le-Heath Manor House – closing from November-January, plus Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the year and closure from 3pm during February and March