Shaping the future of Library and Heritage Services in Wrexham

Shaping the future of Library and Heritage Services in Wrexham

Why are we doing this?: The Council is required to make significant savings in its budget over the next few years and is committed to safeguarding education provision and the most vulnerable people in society. These savings are currently estimated at £45 million over the next 3 years.
 
The provision of library services is a statutory requirement under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. This Act requires the Council to "provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof...." The 1964 Act also enables a local authority to "provide and maintain museums and art galleries". There are also statutory duties on local authorities concerning Archives to make arrangements for the proper care, preservation and management of their records.
 
The Council is seeking to safeguard important and valued services such as local libraries, museums, archives and historical sites when there is less public money to do this. It is not about cutting services to the bone but about enabling them to operate more dynamically and with better links with local communities.
What do we want to know?: 

We have evaluated alternative service delivery models, such as employee mutual and trusts, as a means of ensuring a continued service at a reduced cost.


The options considered have been;
Status quo: services continued to be operated by the Council
Stop: ceasing to provide the services
Establish a new local NPDO/Trust to operate the agreed portfolio of services
Enter a management agreement with an existing trust to manage the services.
The Council's Executive Board has considered these options for Library services and has decided that establishing a new local trust for the management of Library services is the best option. The Council has not yet approved this option for Heritage Services but is consulting on whether joining the new trust would also be the best option for Museums and Archives.


We want to know the publics views on a proposal for the Libraries and Heritage service to be managed by a trust. The term 'trust' is a generic term for the delivery of services by a non-profit distributing organisation (NPDO). The portfolio of builds and services to be transferred to the trust include:-


The 10 libraries currently operated by the Library Service (Brynteg, Cefn Mawr, Chirk, Coedpoeth, Gwersyllt, Llay, Overton, Ruabon, Rhos and Wrexham) plus the mobile library, Homelink service and bibliographic services unit.
Community Resource centres which are managed by the library service (Acton, Brynteg Memorial Centre, Gwersyllt, and Plas Pentwyn in Coedpoeth). In addition the Llay Park Resource centre which is currently managed by Youth Services, is included in the portfolio (and the delivery of youth provision will continue via the centre).


This consultation also seeks to consult on whether Heritage services should be included in the trust:-
Wrexham Museum, Holt Castle, Bersham Heritage Centre & Ironworks, Minera Lead Mines, Archaeology, Archives.

Consultation start date 12 October 2015
Consultation end date 06 November 2015