William Eichler 08 December 2016

Libraries hit by £25m in council cuts

Cash-strapped local libraries were hit by £25m worth of council cuts last year, accountancy body finds.

An annual library survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) revealed today the total expenditure on council-run library services fell from £944m (2014/15) to £919m (2015/16).

The survey also discovered the total number of visitors dropped during the same period by 5.5%--from 265 million to 250 million.

Library employment has also undergone a dramatic change over the last year, CIPFA said.

Paid library staff fell by 5.3% (18,028 to 17,064) and volunteer numbers rose by 7.5% (41,402 to 44,501).

‘This fall in library funding comes at a time of unprecedented budgetary pressures for local councils,’ said Rob Whiteman, chief executive of CIPFA.

‘In this climate really tough decisions are having to be made about all sorts of services and libraries are just one of the services bearing the brunt.

’But despite the grim outlook, libraries are continuing to transform and innovate, adapting to changing visitor habits and providing a raft of new services and offerings.’

The Government’s Libraries Taskforce last week pledged £4m to support disadvantaged communities through libraries and urged councils to consider libraries when delivering other public services.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Systems Analyst Applications

Oxfordshire County Council
£46412 - £49282
The ICT Principal Systems Analyst will be the subject matter expert on the Children's Social Care and Early Help Applications. They will be aware of and will contribute to Application roadmap developments, keep abreast of legislative changes and customer Oxford
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Social Worker/Senior Practitioner - Family Support and Safeguarding - Banbury

Oxfordshire County Council
£38220 - £49282
You will manage a caseload tailored to your experience, ensuring that children’s and their families’ voices are heard, and their needs are met. You will work with families using the Family Support and Safeguarding Workbook modules, and a strengths-bas Banbury
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Financial Assessment Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£30,510 - £45,564 per annum
Financial Assessment Officer
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

HDRC Partnerships Officer

Essex County Council
£26786.00 - £31512.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
HDRC Partnerships OfficerFixed Term, Full Time£26,786 to £31,512 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Delivery Lead

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Negotiable
Lead the daily operations of our SEN service, ensuring every child receives the support they deserve. Working as an SEN Delivery Lead means being at t England, London, City of London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Linkedin Banner