A public consultation on the future of Plymouth’s libraries should be completely re-run, according to a scrutiny committee which found several flaws in the process.
Almost 4,000 people had their say on whether 10 of the city’s 17 libraries should be closed during a 12-week consultation earlier this year.
The results are being analysed and a final decision is due in early July – but council bosses have been urged to go back to the drawing board.
The problem is how the libraries’ performance was assessed. Each one was ranked on 11 separate points, from visitor numbers and cost per visit, to use of computers and deprivation levels, and given an overall score.
The 10 libraries with the worst scores were then placed on the closure list.
But a cross-party scrutiny committee found the process was not thorough enough and the criteria should not have been given equal weighting.
During a five-hour meeting on Monday, the committee heard from teachers, parents, campaigners and union representatives.
Committee chair Cllr Sally Bowie (Lab) told The Herald the consultation process was “definitely flawed”.
“That is not being political,” she said. “If you look at how they have ranked the libraries, there is an awful lot there.
“Young people were not involved in this consultation. It was said that letters went into book bags, but some schools did not receive them.
“The voluntary sector was not involved and Plymouth Community Homes gave a damning witness statement.
“I think the consultation needs to be re-looked at.”
Former Labour councillor Nicky Williams, whose eight-year-old daughter Lucy Woodman has been campaigning to save Efford library, said the equalities impact assessment (EIA) was full of errors.
“It doesn’t address things like age; impact on younger people; impact on people with disabilities; sex and gender,” she said.
“Basically the people who have done your EIAs have done you a disservice and they are leaving you open to judicial review. That is a serious issue and you should reflect on that.
“They didn’t put the cost of the libraries in the criteria for how sustainable they are. That’s ridiculous. Any accountant would say that is not how you work out how sustainable a building is. It’s just not acceptable.”
The committee recommended the council should consider factors such as opening times and the number of computers available.
Greater weight should be given to points which “reflect the aspiration for improved outcomes” under a future library service, they said.
The committee also said all 10 libraries earmarked for closure should be ranked by additional criteria, including accessibility; city growth; information from partner organisations; use of libraries by educational institutions; and the impact of closures on children, young people and protected groups.
A council spokeswoman said: “The select committee unanimously agreed its recommendations at the end of yesterday’s meeting, a webcast of which can be viewed on our website.
“The recommendations will also be published in writing shortly, as part of the minutes.
“The committee agreed that the Plan for Libraries consultation and the analysis of the results were carried out in line with the relevant guidance.
“While it recommended enhanced consultation activity and simplified engagement with young people in future exercises, it did not recommend that the consultation be re-run.
“The committee’s recommendations will be discussed by cabinet members when they meet on 20 June and considered in developing the final Plan for Libraries, which is due to go to full council on 3 July.”
Article originally published by Plymouth Herald
