Bude-Stratton Town Council to take over management of Bude Library
The management of Bude Library will be handed over to Bude-Stratton Town Council on the 1st March 2019 in a new partnership agreement with Cornwall Council.
Under the arrangement, Bude-Stratton Town Council will employ the staff, and will own and maintain the building. Cornwall Council will provide the book stock and all the IT systems to enable county-wide access.
The arrangement – which is part of Cornwall Council’s devolution programme – means the library on The Wharf in Bude will continue to provide all the key services essential to a modern library as well as access to a range of Cornwall Council services.
Following the transfer, Bude Library will remain part of the countywide service – meaning that customers will keep their existing library cards and will still be able to visit, borrow and order books online from other libraries in Cornwall. There will be no change to the service for the customers.
Mayor of Bude-Stratton Town Council, Bob Willingham said: “By taking over management of the library, Bude-Stratton Town Council has secured the continued provision of the library service for not only the residents of Bude and Stratton, but for all those residents in surrounding parishes and across Cornwall who use it.
“We are actively encouraging residents to join the library and to make use of the services available. Of course there is a plethora of books to enjoy, but also the use of five computers with internet access, free WiFi, a printing and photocopying machine, fax machine, newspapers, and much more.
“We would also love to hear feedback from residents on how we can make the library an even better facility. Now that the management of the library is in our hands, we have the power to provide a service that truly reflects the needs of locals.”
In these challenging financial times, Cornwall Council – like all local authorities throughout the UK – has had some tough decisions to make when faced with massive cuts in funding from central Government, explained Edwina Hannaford, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods.
“Libraries are important to our residents and this is why we have been working closely with town and parish councils and community groups across Cornwall to find the best custodians and secure the future for their local library,” she said.
“The town council’s proactive approach to taking more control over local assets is an excellent example of devolution in action, and I commend them for the excellent service they are providing to their community.”
The opening times for Bude Library are as follows:
Monday – 9.30am – 5pm
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 9.30am – 5pm
Thursday – Closed
Friday – 9.30am – 5pm
Saturday – 10am – 1pm
Sunday – Closed
Additional information about the Library and Information Service, facilities, accessibility, services, events and more, can be found on the Cornwall Council website here.