Agenda item

Motion F

Protecting Haringey’s Libraries, and increasing library footfall and revenue

Proposer: Cllr Connor

Seconder: Cllr Rossetti

Council notes:

• The overwhelming opposition to library cuts submitted as responses to the 2024/25 budget consultation;
• That no libraries have been closed since 2010, and recognises that this leaves the borough in a better place than some neighbours. However, this cannot be used to deflect from the fact that the recent decision to cut hours will negatively impact Haringey’s residents in a multitude of ways;
• That, despite opposition, Haringey Labour closed the mobile library service in Haringey in 2014, retaining only the housebound part of the service;
• Following a review in 2016, council announced plans that would have seen the closure of Highgate Library and Muswell Hill Library, but were forced to reverse the decision due to overwhelming public opposition;
• The significant capital investment in Haringey’s libraries since 2018 to improve library buildings and facilities, with a target that the investment would increase library use, accessibility and footfall to library buildings;
• That cuts to council libraries are a political choice, not a financial necessity, and the proposed cuts for this year and beyond could have been avoided by approving the Liberal Democrat Amendment to the 2023/2024 budget;
• That the Director of Culture, Strategy and Engagement, and the Lead Cabinet Member for Libraries conceded at a Budget Scrutiny panel in December 2022 that the only two options explored in the options appraisal for libraries were the cuts as proposed, or the closure of some council libraries;
• The preliminary equalities assessment presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee predicted that cuts to libraries would have a negative impact on young people, older people, the disabled, parents of young children and those with the lowest socioeconomic status;
• That the cuts to council libraries are being carried out before an up to date library strategy has been published.

Council believes:

• Libraries are the only way that many children living in the borough have access to books, the only place for many of Haringey’s young people to study to ensure that they can maximise their full potential in life;
• Libraries provide essential internet access for those without it, especially those that are jobseekers, elderly, or living in financial hardship;
• Libraries provide a warm and safe space for many residents that would otherwise not have one, and so help prevent loneliness and poor health;
• Libraries are an open-door arts and events venue, providing a vital community space for a large number of events and local groups at all hours;
• That instead of cuts and reduced hours of access, council should be searching for opportunities to expand the number of services which can be delivered from libraries in an effort to improve footfall and increase the number of library users in the borough;
• That libraries are being severely underutilised, particularly in regards to revenue-raising opportunities, and that there has been a lack of strategic direction in maximising existing spaces in council libraries and a lack of support provided to library staff from council, with one example of this being the sensory room in Hornsey Library which was installed in 2020, but then left unused until 2023 due to a lack of instructions being provided to library staff on how to use the space;
• That events taking place at some of our libraries such as the recent inaugural Crouch End Literary Festival demonstrates that with the correct strategy, and people in charge, events can bring in significant additional footfall and revenue, filling underutilised spaces already available within our libraries, however this should not be left solely to community groups and local organisations;
• That a library strategy should form a basis for the library service maximising footfall and putting libraries on a sustainable footing, highlighting a long-term plan for the service, and should not be used as a shield for cuts to the service.

Council resolves:

• To reverse any agreed reduction in library opening hours or services;
• To await the publication of the library strategy and review before any further decisions are made on the future of Haringey libraries;
• To ask Cabinet to commit to producing its long-promised library strategy within six months, through a process of co-production with residents and Friends groups as equal partners as part of production and oversight of the strategy. This partnership should first agree its terms of reference and have clear parameters of how the governance, financial strategy and future oversight of any new library strategy will be undertaken;
• To request that the Senior Manager with responsibility for the library service outlines their co-production strategy within the next 4 weeks and publicises this widely so concerned residents can get involved and help to find solutions;
• That a full Equalities Impact Assessment is completed prior to any changes the council might wish to make to library hours or budgets;
• That as part of council’s library strategy, council considers wide-ranging options with a focus on increasing footfall and revenue in a manner that will increase library use, including but not limited to:
  • Incorporating “Libraries of Things” into existing buildings, in line with 2022 manifesto commitments from both the Haringey Labour Party and the Haringey Liberal Democrats;
  • Working with financial partners to introduce “Bank Hubs” into more libraries, with a greater range of services and more availability, helping to compensate for the loss of bank branches around the borough;
  • Investigating the commercial rental of space inside or outside of library buildings for parcel pickup points, such as Amazon/Evri Lockers;
  • Considering opportunities for community enterprises within library buildings such as hospitality that would provide a rent income stream whilst also providing additional community benefit and supporting the ethos of libraries;

Motion G

Celebrating Haringey Works and its work creating good jobs for residents

Proposer: Cllr Ruth Gordon

Seconder: Cllr Zena Brabazon

This council notes that:

• Haringey Council is committed to creating a fairer and greener local economy that builds on local creativity to harness Haringey’s strengths;
• As the Council’s free business recruitment service, Haringey Works liaises closely  with businesses looking to recruit as well as individuals searching for employment;
• We are determined to increase the number of good job opportunities locally and support our business community to reach their full potential;
• Opportunity Haringey will allow us to build on the borough’s economic strengths, address inequalities and take us another step closer to realising our ambition for a fairer and greener Haringey;
• As part of Opportunity Haringey, Haringey Works is highly effective at expanding residents’ job opportunities and getting residents into or back into work;
• Haringey Works helps residents of Haringey into sustainable employment. We work closely with residents, partners and businesses to provide pathways into jobs across a broad range of sectors.

This council believes that:

• Decent, well-paid, and fulfilling work for our residents is a key to prosperity and wellbeing for residents, and vital for supporting Haringey’s 12,000+ businesses;
• JobCentre Plus is not fit for purpose and dozens of different Government schemes since the 1970s have failed to tackle long-term and youth unemployment;
• Councils are ideally placed to understand the requirements of local employers and to create opportunities for skills and training to service the local economy;
• The UK government needs to properly fund local employment support services. Empowering Councils by devolving jobs and skills support services to local authorities would mean that they can apply their local knowledge to create good jobs, address skill shortages and provide training. An adequately funded service run locally can ensure that high standards are set for good sustainable job creation and career path development;
• Haringey Works is the ideal framework for a local-needs focused approach to finding employment for those who need it, and for responding to the recruitment and skills requirements of our diverse business community.

This council resolves to:

• Write to the Minister of State for Work and Pensions asking the Government to properly fund local employment services, and to consider a localised model, such as Haringey’s, as a blueprint for an employment and skills framework.
•  Write to the Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions to invite them to visit Haringey Works.