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# County councillor insists views over library plans are being heard
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/county-councillor-insists-views-over-library-plans-are-being-heard/
- Published: 2015-01-20T10:00:01.000Z
- Updated: 2015-01-19T18:22:13.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 20:48, News

A councillor has insisted the views of local people are being heard following a consultation over the future of libraries in Lichfield and Burntwood.

Staffordshire County Council is proposing a raft of changes to the library service across the county.

This had included plans to transfer the running of some smaller libraries to community groups.

However, they say there will now be a “two-track” approach to allow the council to support those areas where organisations have an interest in running sites – but also recognising the needs of other areas where the option is not available.

[![Cllr Mike Lawrence](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/mike-lawrence.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2011/05/25/lichfield-and-burntwood-vocational-centre-opens-to-the-public/mike-lawrence/)

Cllr Mike Lawrence

County councillor Mike Lawrence said: “The public response made it clear there was a greater confidence and appetite to take on management of local libraries in some areas, than others. Accordingly, we are proposing a twin-track approach.

“Some community groups will take responsibility for managing and delivering their local library service as soon as they have satisfied the necessary conditions – and will have access to support from Library staff.

“For others there will be a transitional stage where volunteers staff the library on a day-to-day basis and the library will be part of a cluster which will have support from a member of library staff on a regular basis.

“It remains my intention that these libraries will be eventually be managed and delivered by the community.”

The changes were proposed after the council warned changes needed to be made to the way library services are delivered because of fulling numbers of users.

### Financial resources

Cllr Lawrence added: “We need to change, radically, to energise our libraries so they are better used by their communities and to do this within the council’s financial resources.

“We’ve talked to thousands of users, non-users and staff about the best way to meet communities’ needs. We’ve listened to what they have to say and our amended proposals reflect those changes, particularly keeping a network of support for communities involved in their own libraries.”

The new proposals will be discussed at Scrutiny Committee meeting at Staffordshire County Council on January 23\. Final plans will then be considered by the county council’s cabinet in February.