- Investment to improve Barnes’ shopping scene
- One way cycling reminder
- Keeping our borough safe during the Olympics
- New powers sought to control mooring
- Dignity Action Day 2012
- Good Wood makes great art
- Would you like to run your local library?
- Improving graves at East Sheen cemetery
- Council agrees Capital Funding programme
- Outer London Funding – work still continue
- Tea and Tango in Twickenham
- Dance fever set to hit the borough
- Final reminder to reclaim wrongly issued PCNs
- Get ready to (street) party for Queen’s jubilee
- Schools grant greeted with delight by Council
- All aboard for Richmond station improvements
- Council to spend £10.4m to expand four primaries
- Uplift spotlight turns to Hampton North
- Green Flag Award hope for Crane Park
- Youth events to discuss Twickenham Youth provision
- Parents to have their say about Catholic Secondary School
- Bills cut by £80,000 in Low Carbon Zone
- Mouse droppings lead to £10k fine for baker
- Gritters ready for winter issued
- Royal Connections project call for volunteers
- New guide an essential tool to support local shops
- Green fingered grant for local charity
- Keeping Richmond warm this winter
- Mayor to celebrate Scots’ history
- Last chance to see Art in Motion exhibition at Twickenham Gallery
- Chance to get arty in Mortlake
- Call for local artists to open studios
- Did you resolve to get fit for 2012?
- Tangley is home to new family centre
- Young people asked about the future of Twickenham youth provision
- Latest move on Clifden School site
- Saved Windham Croft Centre 'back in business'
- Cracking down on Blue Badge fraud
- New Cabinet member announced
- Recycle Christmas trees
Release Date: 27/01/2012
Would you like to run your local library?
Richmond Council is inviting local organisations to come forward and run three community libraries in partnership with the council
As part of its efficiency programme, last year the Council agreed to move towards commissioning services rather than directly providing them. There has also been a commitment to involve residents in the planning and delivery of services.
The Council is now considering different approaches to delivering library services, specifically reviewing the options for retaining the core network of nine libraries across the borough whilst investigating the possibility of offering three libraries to organisations to run in partnership with the Council through a Village Library initiative.
Local organisations, such as businesses, community groups, schools, social enterprises and resident groups, are invited to come forward and discuss how they can be more involved in providing high quality services at the libraries in Ham, Hampton Wick and Kew.
Interested groups will be paid a contract fee to take over the day-to-day running of these libraries while the Council continues to provide everything else including the building, books and computer equipment.
Cllr Pamela Fleming, Cabinet Member for Community, Business and Culture, said:
“In the All in One survey last year, residents told us how much they value their local library, and this was echoed in a recent review of the service. Therefore it is important to note that this proposal will not result in the closure of any library in the borough and we are committed to keeping all 12 libraries open, along with the access point at Heathfield.
“However we do have to consider more creative ways of providing our services that have a community focus and we are looking for a local group or organisation to come forward and help us run three of our libraries. It would be a formal agreement and there would be clear requirements on core services and opening for the same number of hours, but it would provide the opportunity for communities to consider doing things differently - for example they would have the freedom to run other activities or change and extend opening times.
“We have said we want local people and organisations to help shape services in their area and these three local libraries are a great opportunity for communities to get involved. To many this might seem very daunting. Shortly be launching our new Community Links programme, which will be a support mechanism for local groups and individuals looking to get more involved. The libraries project will be their first priority.
“This is a unique opportunity for local people to work directly with the Council and shape what happens in their local area, maintaining the current standards and services whilst ensuring that libraries remain the heart of our community.”
As a minimum, the community-run libraries would provide free library membership, free access to books and newspapers for adults and children, free access to computers and the internet and free access to accurate and up to date information resources.
For more information, visit our library pages here.
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