Overview

Significant budget challenges remain with further savings of £12.7m to bridge the gap over the next two years. Early indications from in-depth libraries consultation and engagement in 2023 and early 2024 show there is potential to make savings through the redevelopment of libraries services by reducing the asset footprint and offering an alternative. Reducing our buildings is under consideration across all council buildings.

Moray Council is consulting on the future transformation of the Library service to ensure that libraries, learning centres and heritage services continue to adapt and are fit for the future, while operating within a sustainable, affordable budget for the long term. The council has set out the core expectations, priorities and the principles that will underpin the future service and you can read more about them and how they have been developed in our Libraries Service Information.

The future service model to deliver the new Libraries, Learning Centres and Heritage Service is explained in the link above and there is a summary below:
  • Network of 4 Area Libraries (Elgin, Buckie, Forres and Aberlour) providing a hub for services across Moray
    1. Increased opening hours to Aberlour Library
  • New rural community outreach library service, including service to seven community areas where branches are proposed to close (Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Keith, Lossiemouth, Milnes (Fochabers) and Tomintoul). Outreach services are tailored to local needs, for example
    1. Activities and programmes delivered to specific groups, community pop up library services with a range of resources and support/advice, event attendance/support, digital inclusion by access to device borrowing
    2. Expansion of current housebound delivery service across Moray
  • Housebound service - continued development
  • Restructure central based staffing team to align with future service delivery
These elements represent an overall operating cost of up to £275,000 less than the current delivery model.

The data and context behind these proposals can be found in our Libraries Service Information.

These proposals have been drawn up following engagement with service users and employees in November 2023. This survey is to gather feedback on the specific proposals and any alternatives for a lower cost sustainable service for the future while considering the implications for the community, in particular any equality impacts so that mitigation can be considered.

The survey is open until Sunday 1 December @ midnight and should take around 10-15 minutes to complete.

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