Issue - meetings

Cllr Dave Norman sought Cabinet approval for the new Library Strategy 2023-2028 for recommendation to County Council.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Recommend that the Council adopt the Library Strategy 2023- 2028 as part of the Council’s Policy Framework

Cllr Dave Norman sought Cabinet approval for the new Library Strategy 2023-2028 for recommendation to County Council.

The current Library Strategy was formally adopted in 2012 and was outdated.  The new Library Strategy 2023-2028 outlined the vision and aims for Gloucestershire’s modern library service.  Views of Gloucestershire residents were sought between 4^th July and 23^rd September 2022 and had been incorporated into the strategy.

The results of the public consultation were included within the report at Appendix 1. It was a very positive public response with 94.9% of people satisfied or very satisfied with their library service.   Other responses of note included:

·         76.9% of respondents stated that they knew more about what the library service has to offer after reading the Strategy. 

·         69.6% of respondents rated their overall opinion of the strategy as good with 19.2% rating it as excellent. 

·         77% of respondents felt the strategy was easy to understand, 76% that the case studies were relevant and 75% that the core offer demonstrates what they can expect from the library service.

The Strategy had also been updated following the formal decisions taken to re-locate the libraries in Stroud & Gloucester and the announcement that Gloucestershire Libraries had been successful in their bid to become an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.  Out of 1700 applications only 990 applications were successful so that was a great achievement.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Recommend that the Council adopt the Library Strategy 2023-2028 as part of the Council’s Policy Framework