Decision details

The Local Committee (Reigate & Banstead) is asked to agree that:

1.    Reigate library increase its hours from 35.5 hours per week to 42 hours per week to bring it into line with the Group B libraries. This means that Reigate library offers a wider service to local users.  The library will close on Mondays in line with other Group B libraries but the number of hours open will increase overall, including opening on Wednesdays (when the library is currently closed).  Please see attached Appendix 1 for opening hours. 

2.    The number of hours Merstham library opens does not change but the opening times will be altered. Please see attached Appendix 1 for opening hours.

3.    The overall change in hours in Reigate and Banstead is an increase of 6.5 hours per week.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS:

·         Customer feedback, including from “lapsed user” surveys, shows that it is easier for residents to remember standardised hours across libraries. There was positive feedback after introducing standardisation at Group A and B libraries in 2008. (Please see Appendix 2 for further details about Group A, B and C libraries).

·         The majority of Group C community libraries’ opening hours have not altered for many years, and historically were originally based on local circumstances that no longer exist. Across the community libraries there is a huge disparity of hours so the approach has had to be to standardise within three levels of opening hours according to size and use.

·         Standardisation allows the library service to implement new standardised staffing structures and staffing allocations across the County. This will ensure the library service has sufficient, cost effective, frontline cover across libraries, with relevant staff in the right place at the right time.

·         The library service review identified changes in the patterns of use in Group C community libraries.  The recommended changes to opening hours reflect how local residents are now using these libraries. The Library review identified patterns of use in the group C community libraries and have retained the most well used opening periods as a core of the new proposed opening hours.