Following the release of Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet papers on the proposal to take the library service back, Suffolk Libraries is urging councillors not to make such a big decision based on misrepresented figures.
Suffolk Libraries has successfully run the county’s 45 libraries for the last 12 and a half years. The charity is heralded within the industry as an example of best practice and championed by the local community. An independent petition opposing the council’s proposal has nearly 21k signatures with many local groups also gaining hundreds more signatures at local protests.
The county council’s main reasons for the decision are apparently financial but there is growing confusion that it now appears they are willing to spend additional money to take the service back (up to £1.8m according to their paper). If offered to Suffolk Libraries as part of contract negotiations this money would have ensured a successful award of a new contract and allowed the organisation to maintain the service and opening hours well into the future.
Suffolk Libraries has met with the council this week both to point out that the county council is basing a decision on flawed figures and also to present a new proposal to enable the council to potentially access additional funding to help maintain the current service for the next two years.
Suffolk County Council has wrongly asserted that 33% of Suffolk Libraries staffing costs are spent on the back office and management costs. They have asked Suffolk Libraries permission to publish confidential information which they believe proves this claim.
However, SCC has calculated this figure as a percentage of the staff costs of just the public library element of the service not of the total staff costs. Suffolk Libraries has an annual charitable turnover of nearly £10m of which £6.8m comes from the council contract. The extra £3m is generated by Suffolk Libraries and pays for nearly all back office and management costs as well as prison library staff and other projects like the Arts Programme.
Suffolk Libraries initially took legal advice about the confidential information over concerns it might compromise personal information but has now given the council permission. There is an explanation about this information on this page.
Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries, said:
“We stand by our figures which prove 21.4% of our total annual salary budget is spent on back office/management, including functions like the stock team, HR and IT. The figure is only around 7% for senior management, a ratio that seems perfectly reasonable for a charity responsible for running 45 libraries, three mobile libraries and 13 prison libraries in addition to many other value adding contracts.
“We want to be really clear about this as it appears to have played a big part in Suffolk County Council’s proposal. We appeal to the council and cabinet members not to make such a big decision based on incorrect figures!
“The county council has admitted it will cost them a lot of money to take back the service – surely, it’s much better to get back round the negotiating table and try and move forwards? And as a public service provider, shouldn’t the council be considering the views of the local community – and other stakeholders - whose opinion on this matter is clearly evidenced by the growing numbers signing the petition opposing the decision.”
You can view a video from Sylvia Knights, Suffolk Libraries' Chair and more details on our contract update page.
