THE city council is asking for views on proposals to ensure libraries and community centres remain accessible to everyone in Leicester – in spite of the worst budget situation the council has ever seen.
The council is proposing to operate its library and community services from 12 multi-service centres and the city’s Central Library.
If the proposals are agreed, the council would invest £1million in the buildings to enable them to operate as hubs, bringing together a range of services provided by the council and partners.
The council is also proposing to expand book collections at some children’s centres; expand the home library service that delivers books direct to the door of housebound residents; and introduce self-service libraries to extend opening hours outside of staffed times.
The Central Library on Bishop Street would continue to provide a city-wide service, with a slight reduction in opening hours.
The changes are being put forward following a city-wide survey and engagement exercise carried out in 2023. The proposals would reduce council spending by £2.1m per year and contribute to the £23m of savings the council needs to make to balance its budget.
The savings could be made by making some of buildings available for community organisations to run. Reductions in staff numbers and opening hours are also proposed.
Cllr Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for libraries and community centres, said: “We are very proud of our libraries and community centres in Leicester. They play an important role in bringing people together, and we know that the services they offer are greatly valued.
“Sadly, after many years of Government cuts to our budgets we can no longer afford to run them in the same way, and so have looked for new ways to keep providing the services people most value, in a place close to where they live.
“That’s why we’re proposing to bring services together in new multi-service hubs, ensuring they continue to be accessible across the city, while making the savings we need by reducing the number of buildings we run.
“Making some buildings available for community groups to run is another way we can ensure that services continue to be delivered. We have seen how well this can work at New Parks Community Centre and the African Caribbean Centre.
“Supporting local groups to run libraries, is also a tried and tested option that is working well in the county and other places.
“These proposals have been drawn up after very careful consideration of the feedback we’ve had from service users and residents, and no decisions have yet been taken. I would urge anyone who has an interest in these services to let us have their views.”
Facilities which could be made available for the local community to run are: Belgrave, Coleman, and Netherhall neighbourhood centres; Braunstone Frith and Rushey Mead recreation centres; Eyres Monsell Community Centre; Evington, Knighton and Rushey Mead libraries; Gilmorton community rooms; and the Tudor Centre.
The St Matthews Centre would close, and the library would be relocated to somewhere nearby. Disposal options would be looked at for the Fosse Centre, which – owing to the work needed to the building – is not suitable for transferring to the community.
Of the 12 sites the council proposes to keep – which would be renamed as hubs to reflect their multi-service offer – five could have staffed opening for 40 hours a week. These include Beaumont Leys Library Hub and Highfields Library Hub. Additional self-access hours would be offered on top of the 40 hours at Belgrave Library Hub; The Brite Centre Library Hub; and St Barnabas Library Hub.
The remaining seven sites could open for 30 hours a week, including Aylestone Library (already located in the leisure centre); Westcotes Library Hub; St Matthews Library (which could relocate to a building nearby); and Thurnby Lodge Centre Hub (with a new self-service library). Additional self-access hours on top of the 30 hours, are proposed for Hamilton Library Hub; New Parks Centre Hub; and Pork Pie Library Hub.
Consultation on the proposals will run from 2 April to 29 June. Questionnaires are available to complete on the council's consultation website.
Open meetings will be held in different neighbourhood venues, details of which are on the consultation website.
The council set its budget for 2025/26 in February. Its financial outlook is very difficult due to previous government austerity cuts, the rising costs of social care, and an increase in homeless families requiring support.
It plans to use £110m of one-off monies to help maintain services in the short term, together with savings of £23m a year by 2027/28. There will remain a gap between spending and income of £68m by 2027/28, requiring the council to take every opportunity available to reduce costs.