(TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17) BUSINESS plans which will enable five Buckinghamshire communities to run their own libraries have been approved by the County Council.
They are Little Chalfont, Chalfont St Giles, Micklefield, West Wycombe and Steeple Claydon.
The Cabinet Member decision was announced today following a lengthy period of consultation.
Plans submitted by Stewkley and Iver/Richings Park groups
were rejected, as they did not meet the criteria set out by the council.
Detailed discussions with the five groups wishing to set up their own libraries will now get underway. The County library service will be working closely with the community groups to ensure that the transition to their own service is smooth as possible.
Although the County Council will provide some services to the community libraries, such as access to their online management system, its own complementary service to the communities concerned will take the form of a mobile library.
A 174,000 supermobile library service, carrying up to 3000 books, and using satellite technology will be up and running by summer 2007. From December this year a fully refurbished mobile library will be visiting the communities on a regular basis during the interim period. The vehicle timetable will include Saturdays and Sundays, fitting in with peoples' shopping and leisure patterns.
Margaret Dewar, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: "This has been a really tough decision and one that has been made only after long and careful consideration of all factors involved. The process has taken longer than anticipated and I realise this has been a stressful time for all involved, but we had to be absolutely sure these businesses - for that is what they must be - have a good chance of success.
"We want to support the community libraries in developing an excellent service that will flourish alongside our own mobile library. "Local people will have more choice and greater involvement in their own services."
