Every library in Perth and Kinross will be hit by cuts and job losses will be unavoidable as Culture Perth and Kinross seeks to reduce its budget by 12 per cent over the next three years.
Libraries not at risk of closure look set to have their opening hours reduced from next April.
Other agreed Culture Perth and Kinross cuts to be implemented by the end of the financial year include the closure of Alyth Museum, reducing the opening hours and services at Perth and Kinross Archive and Local and Family History and removing core funded learning programmes within its museums and galleries.
A report put before Perth and Kinross Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee also showed future savings include moving Perth Art Gallery to seasonal opening from October 2025 and cutting the number of temporary exhibitions and community activities in both Perth Art Gallery and the newly opened Perth Museum.
Jobs will be lost as a result of the cuts.
The report stated: “Negotiations with staff are ongoing and trade unions have been informed. Where possible we will try to mitigate impacts on staff however the scale of the savings required is such that it is not possible to avoid compulsory redundancies.”
Changes to National Insurance contributions will also have a financial impact.
In response to questioning at Perth and Kinross Council’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee on Wednesday, November 20, Culture Perth and Kinross chief executive Helen Smout said changes to National Insurance contributions would result in “around an extra £97,000 a year” which she said “feels eye-watering”.
Mrs Smout explained that with 80 per cent of Culture Perth and Kinross’ costs being on staffing and the remainder on fixed costs there was “very little wriggle room”.
She said: “Whenever there is a need to make a saving it will undoubtedly impact on staff because so many of the remaining 20 per cent of costs are fixed – IT, infrastructure, licensing, etc.”
Providing an update on changes to library services, Helen Smout told councillors: “We continue to have meetings with communities about proposed closures of libraries and we’ll be starting conversations with the remaining libraries – not at risk of closure – around the reduction in opening hours that will come into effect on April 1.
“As you can expect, these are quite challenging conversations. The communities highly value the services they have. However, we have been able to identify community members to work with for the next stage looking at alternative provision.”
There are currently 13 libraries in Perth and Kinross – including the Strathmore Community Hub Library in Coupar Angus – as well as Culture Perth and Kinross’ mobile library service and digital service.
Volunteers deliver books to over 200 housebound library members. Conservative councillor Frank Smith sought assurance this service would be protected.
Mrs Smout said: “I can assure you that is one of the services we are protecting most. We’re very lucky the housebound service is delivered by volunteers.”
Perth and Kinross is not the only local authority making cuts to its library services. Aberdeenshire Council recently announced plans to close 13 libraries by the end of the year.
Mrs Smout said: “It’s a very challenging climate for libraries across Scotland. There are several local authorities who are looking at these and several who have made much more significant savings than we are looking at here in Perth and Kinross.
“But there has been a change in how people use library services and change in how communities are able/not able to support services they have locally.
“I would hope here in Perth and Kinross we can do as much mitigation as we can of any negative impact that losing local services has as possible. But we can only do that in partnership with the council and the communities themselves.”
Despite spending less on libraries than other local authorities, Perth and Kinross had the second highest usage in Scotland.
Mrs Smout said: “We spend less per head (per 1000 population) on library services in Perth and Kinross than any other local authority.
“However, we are second top in Scotland for our activity and our output and our engagement. Although we have low budgets, they work very very hard and our staff have excelled at making even a penny stretch to feel like 10.”
Various options are being explored.
Mrs Smout said: “There is a high degree of interest in looking at either fundraising and then commissioning CPK to deliver services – that obviously has some challenges on a recurring basis for communities – or look at community-led provision.
“The groups will vary and each community will be looking for something that’s very particular to them and their need and I suspect we’ll end up with very different models. But we’re committed to supporting communities through that process and that we wouldn’t walk away once they’re up and running. We would continue to provide professional and community development support as they go forward.”
The libraries chief said there was a need for a national debate on libraries.
Mrs Smout said: “I think there is anger perhaps at a national level that there should perhaps be more recognition of what libraries offer in a community and what they could potentially do with the right sort of support. I think there is an understanding of the challenges locally.
“It needs a national debate. It’s not just happening in Perth and Kinross, it’s happening across Scotland. We’ve been encouraging them to take that to their MSPs.”
The social value of libraries in providing a warm space, combating loneliness and mental health struggles was also highlighted.
Highlighting an example, Mrs Smout said: “There will be people who go into Comrie just to have a cup of coffee and a chat. They will read their newspaper – which they buy and leave for someone else – because they have no one else to chat to at home.
“Libraries are about connecting people. They connect people to stories and books and they connect people to people. However, there are other ways to connect people and when times are tough and funding is tough it’s incumbent on us to see what else we can do.
“That’s what you’re losing when you lose libraries, so what can we do to put that back?”