Minister orders probe into Northamptonshire cuts to library service

Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has launched an investigation into whether Northamptonshire County Council is failing to carry out its duty to provide an adequate library service.

In a letter to acting leader Matthew Golby, Mr Hancock said he had had a complaint from the Library and Information Association that Northamptonshire’s cuts to its service meant it was not fulfilling its duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

The council last month hit a financial crisis and passed a revised budget after issuing a section 114 notice, which restricted all but unavoidable spending.

Leader Heather Smith last week resigned following a highly critical report of the council’s financial management by Max Caller, an inspector appointed by the government. Mr Caller called for the county council to be replaced by two new unitaries.

Mr Hancock wrote that the council had voted to retain eight large and seven medium sized libraries, with the remaining 21 due to close or operate outside the council’s service and closure of the mobile library.

The association had also objected to Northamptonshire failing to consider a community-run library option within its statutory service.

He said its complaint additionally said Northamptonshire had consulted on a different plan for the libraries to that on which it voted, and had ignored financial advice that showed the modelling used for the library reform was flawed.

A Northamptonshire spokesman said: “Our review of the library service in Northamptonshire was a necessary element of our budget-setting process for 2018-19 given the severe financial pressures the authority is facing, and is a service many other local authorities across the country have already reviewed.

“When we launched our library service review last October, we presented three options we believe each presented a comprehensive and efficient library service. These options carefully took account of value for money, geographical coverage, areas of need, usage and trends, accessibility, income generation, use of space and suitability of library premises for future development.”

The council said it held a “full and open” 12-week consultation with feedback from more than 5,000 people, and published equality impact assessments for each library.

Mark Smulian