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Have your say on the opening hours of libraries

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A consultation asking people for their views on how their local libraries’ opening hours could be allocated across the week in future will start soon.

The eight – week consultation will start on Monday 2 October and will run until Sunday 26 November. Library users, staff and partner organisations are invited to express their views on the proposal before a final decision is taken early next year.

Each library has been assigned to one of four different bands depending upon local need, so that the library opening hours are proportionate to the population that each library is serving. The consultation will be asking for comments on the way the opening hours are allocated across the week.

The new opening hours being proposed are based on visitor numbers to the library, and when they are used the most.

From Monday 2 October, people will be able to give their views on how their local library’s opening hours are to be allocated across the week by filling in a printed questionnaire, which will be available at local libraries. An online survey will also be available to complete at www.lancashire.gov.uk/haveyoursay, by clicking on Consultations then Library opening hours consultation.

Completed questionnaires need to be returned to a Lancashire County Council library by 25 November.

You can reply online until 26 November.

The agreed model is:

Band A – Open for 50 hours over six days every week
Band B – Open for 42 hours over six days every week
Band C – Open for 34 hours over five days every week
Band D – Open for 18 hours over four days every week

County Councillor Peter Buckley, Lancashire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services, said: “I would encourage everyone involved to let us have their views.

“We want to make sure that the service provided to our customers is as streamlined and efficient as possible. We’re proposing changes to when libraries will be open, and overall this would mean them being open for more hours in total across the county. We’ve designed the proposed model according to when we know they’re most used, with the aim of better meeting demand with the resources we have. There will be no difference in the quality of service between bands.

“We would very much like people to take this opportunity to look at what is being proposed, and how they might be affected – and to help us shape the final proposals by responding to the consultation. People can let us know their views either by completing a printed questionnaire or online, whichever they prefer.”

The proposed consultation will apply to the 47 libraries currently open.

The decision was taken to go-ahead with the consultation at Lancashire County Council’s Cabinet meeting on Thursday 14 September.

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