Council pauses plans to offload Derby community libraries

Derby City Council's new Labour administration has paused plans to offload the running of some libraries to outside organisations.

Since March the authority has been considering the future of 10 community libraries as it looks to save money.

Only last week the council invited six external community and voluntary groups to submit ideas and business cases to run them.

However council leader Baggy Shanker has now signalled a rethink.

Mr Shanker, who leads the Labour minority administration which took control of the council from the Tories after May's election, said he wanted to develop a long-term sustainable model for the libraries.

He said: "Libraries are key to connecting our neighbourhoods and delivering localised support, particularly needed given the current cost-of-living crisis, so our vision is ultimately to ensure that they're fit for the future.

"We believe the previous proposed model offered a short-term fix, and what we need is a sustainable, long-term model - delivered by community organisations, with and for the community."

Mr Shanker suggested an independent charity could run libraries as has been the case in Suffolk for a decade.

He said: "We've done our research. We know that there are options available here, and officers will explore these, but we believe models similar to Suffolk Libraries - that are thriving over 10 years on - are possible to replicate in Derby."

"I'd like to thank all the organisations that submitted proposals, and for their ideas so far. We have informed them of this new development and are keen to continue working with them.

"We hope that people will appreciate that getting it right for the future of our libraries is crucial, and there will be no disruption to library services in the meantime."

The libraries affected are Allestree, Allenton, Blagreaves, Chaddesden Park, Chellaston, Derwent Community Library, Mackworth, Sinfin, Spondon and Springwood.

By Georgia Roberts, BBC Radio Derby political reporter

A change of leadership at the council this May has also signalled a change in approach to these 10 libraries.

Alongside a flurry of other floated changes to local services ahead of a long-promised review of the council's budget this summer, this is Labour in Derby wanting to get on the front foot to show they're delivering on their pledges.

Before taking over minority control from the Conservatives, Labour in their manifesto had pledged to "save" the libraries that the Conservatives had said weren't financially viable. They initially wanted to end their subsidy by spring this year.

That was met with fierce opposition locally.

Money was eventually found to keep them open for longer but the process of distancing the council from the libraries continued.

Exploring options for outside organisations to run the sites, potentially not just as libraries but offering private services, was already well underway.

Today marks the beginning of a potentially very different approach.

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