Image: A group of people attending a Jumpstart physical activity class.
Suffolk Libraries is reminding everyone what Suffolk might be losing if the county council goes ahead with its decision to take the library service back.
With Suffolk County Council’s cabinet meeting only hours away, Suffolk Libraries is listing many benefits which are unique to the current charity model – and which would disappear if the libraries are taken in-house:
Friends’ groups have fundraised and contributed a total of £690k to support libraries across the county. This has helped to fund new furniture, equipment and refurbishments.
Suffolk Libraries currently brings in at least £150k every year from running prison libraries in Suffolk and other counties, revenue which then subsidises the public facing service in Suffolk.
Suffolk Libraries receives £500k in rates relief due to its charity status and in recent years has raised nearly £100k through fundraising to support the library service every year.
The type of grant funding which only a charitable organisation like Suffolk Libraries can access is worth nearly £1m a year. This adds a huge number of extra services and subsidises some of the wider costs of the service.
All this added income and support helps to offset nearly all back-office costs and provides added value through an efficient model which has saved millions of council taxpayers money whilst maintaining and enhancing what has been acknowledged as one of the best library services in the country.
There are further concerns over services which may not continue if the libraries are taken back by Suffolk County Council.
Suffolk Libraries’ highly regarded Arts Council funded programme is not certain to continue under the county council and the legacy of innovative health and wellbeing projects such as Menopause & Me, Moving Minds and Discover More will also be lost.
In 2023-24 over 1,200 volunteers provided 35,500 volunteering hours. This has been increasing in recent years, but many volunteers have already stated that they will not continue if the library service is run by the county council.
One of the benefits of Suffolk Libraries is the lack of red tape and bureaucracy which has empowered library staff and member groups to develop services and activities needed in their local community including Men Can Talk, LGBTQIA+ groups and Cancer Support Groups. The can-do approach of Suffolk Libraries has led to the successful Be Kind to a Kid Christmas toy appeal donating over 6,000 toys to families in need over the past two Christmases.
Suffolk Libraries has also achieved many notable accomplishments:
Suffolk Libraries is appealing to the county council to return to the negotiating table and to take heed of the growing opposition to its decision to take the libraries in-house. Support for Suffolk Libraries has been flooding in from local residents - via an online petition which has over 22,000 signatures – and from local MPs, backbench councillors and other key stakeholders and organisations.
Bruce Leeke, CEO of Suffolk Libraries said:
“We urge Suffolk County Council to listen to reason, to stand by its stated mission “to make a positive difference for Suffolk. …. striving to improve, and securing the best possible services,” to ensure the people of Suffolk continue to benefit from the outstanding library service which has been heralded as the benchmark for excellence within the industry. Please don’t make such an important decision based on flawed figures which so many Suffolk residents are clearly opposed to.”
