Catshill library to be moved to school as part of cuts

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CATSHILL Library could be run from the village's middle school by members of the local community, with help and support from professional library staff.

That is the latest proposal from Worcestershire County Council as it seeks to use a county-wide libraries review to save £1.8million - 28 per cent of the service's budget.

County council bosses say Catshill Library, with just over 1,000 members and around 295 visits-a-week, is the least-used in Worcestershire. The average library across the county has 9,500 members and 2,686 visits per week.

Bosses added research showed a significant number of Catshill Library members also used Bromsgrove Library, which was well-served by public transport from the village.

Coun Sheila Blagg, Catshill's local county councillor, added: "Our much-alued local library in Catshill is no longer fit for purpose and does need to be relocated if we are to preserve a local library facility.

"I am really pleased Worcestershire County Council has allowed us the time we need to identify an alternative location to house the library book stock.

"I have worked with the headteacher of Catshill Middle School and council officers for the past year to identify a potential site within the school grounds."

Coun John Campion, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for localism and communities, said: "The reality is that unless local people or groups get more involved, some services will stop so I would urge anyone in Catshill interested in helping maintain a local library service to come forward and let us know."

The plan would be for Worcestershire County Council to support a local library service on the Catshill Middle School site, which would include a space for PCs and to run sessions in adult learning, parent and baby and activities for young people.

Shelves would be stocked with books, journals and magazines.

A three-month consultation on the proposal begins on Monday (June 25).

An online questionnaire will be available, along with paper versions, and a public meeting is being planned.

Kathy Kirk, the county council's strategic libraries and learning manager, said: "There are examples across the county where volunteers have successfully run their local library for many years so we know that with the dedication and commitment of the community, alongside the support of our staff, it can work.

"If people come forward then we will help and support them all the way through the process."

For more, visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/libraries.

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