Renfrewshire Council is facing significant financial challenges, expecting a funding gap of £55 million to £90 million over the next three years, leading to cuts in essential services. As a response, the council plans to develop a new library space within the Mckillop Institute in Lochwinnoch to improve efficiency and utilization, as current library usage is declining. Community engagement is emphasized to gather input for the new library's design and offerings, with the relocation expected to be completed by June 2011.

1. RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL
Difficult Choices for Difficult Times
McKillop Institute, Lochwinnoch
24 November 2011

2. Purpose of the Meeting
• To begin implementation of the decisions
of council on 4 November 2010
• Engage with the community to develop
the new library space for users

3. Difficult Choices for Difficult Times
The next financial year presents
significant financial challenges for the
Council.
The Council anticipates these financial
challenges will remain for the foreseeable
future.

4. What does this mean for
Renfrewshire?
• Likely to mean an annual revenue grant
cut in cash terms for Renfrewshire for
each of next 3 years
• Total budget pressures of up to £30
million per year anticipated
• Funding gap could range from £55 million
to £90 million for next 3 years

5. The challenges ahead/ impact of
the recession on public spending
• Significant cuts in Government funding
anticipated for the future, which is likely
to mean cash cuts in real terms for the
council over the next 3 years.
• Cost and demand pressures on services
adding to the funding gap (ex. services to
the elderly, children’s services etc.)

6. Dealing with the challenge
• We believe that the difficult decisions
that have been taken will enable these
challenges to be tackled.
• This includes a comprehensive review of
the council’s asset and property portfolio.

7. Asset Management Overview
• Operational Property Review (non-housing)
- Matching service needs v property requirements
• Analysis of asset performance
- Utilisation, condition, suitability, running costs etc
- Property running costs 2009/10: circa £22.6m
- Building condition surveys commissioned
• Best Value Requirement
- Identify under used / poorly performing assets
- Examine alternative models of service delivery &
opportunities for co-location
- Asset rationalisation
- Prioritise investment in retained estate

8. Performance of Libraries
Lochwinnoch Library was considered for
re-location according to the following
performance criteria:
• Total loans
• Stock usage statistics
• PC bookings
• Library visits
• Total transactions

9. Performance of Libraries
Lochwinnoch is amongst the least used libraries in Renfrewshire in terms of
loans and visits with a decreasing trend in the use of library services.
Total Change Total change
loans from visits from
2009/10
previous
year 2009/10
previous
year
Johnstone 149992 -1% Paisley Central 143907 12%
Paisley Central 143542 -2% Johnstone 134856 -14%
Renfrew 95792 3% Renfrew 76517 -17%
Erskine 80454 6% Erskine 71821 -11%
Glenburn 59431 1% Ferguslie 50369 14%
Foxbar 34044 3% Glenburn 42420 3%
Linwood 32640 -3% Bishopton 29031 19%
Bishopton 28794 -3% Foxbar 25011 35%
Bridge of Weir 27623 -5% Bridge of Weir 23623 -5%
Ralston 25078 -2% Linwood 23067 -18%
Lochwinnoch 21981 -2% Lochwinnoch 22764 -22%
Ferguslie 20428 10% Ralston 13429 -20%
Total 719799 1% Total 656815 -4%
Ferguslie Library
and Ralston
Library are
already
co-located with
other services.

10. Performance of Libraries
Lochwinnoch is amongst the least used libraries in Renfrewshire in terms of PC
bookings and total transactions, with a decreasing trend in the use of library services.
Total Change Total Change
PC bookings from transactions from
2009/10 previous year 2009/10 previous year
Paisley Central 22442 -1.0% Paisley Central 309891 4%
Johnstone 14378 -5.0% Johnstone 299226 -8%
Renfrew 10479 -3.0% Renfrew 182788 -7%
Ferguslie 8295 24.0% Erskine 156421 -3%
Erskine 4146 -22.0% Glenburn 105119 1%
Glenburn 3268 -17.0% Ferguslie 79092 14%
Linwood 3197 -29.0% Foxbar 61220 14%
Bishopton 2217 -23.0% Bishopton 60042 6%
Foxbar 2165 -2.0% Linwood 58904 -11%
Lochwinnoch 1783 -46.0% Bridge of Weir 52458 -6%
Bridge of Weir 1212 -36.0% Lochwinnoch 46528 -15%
Ralston 667 -11.0% Ralston 39174 -9%
Total 74249 -7.0% Total 1450863 -2%
Ralston
Library is
already
co-located
with other
services and
Bridge of
Weir will be
co-located
from 2011.

11. Performance of Libraries
The council agreed to retain library services in
Lochwinnoch but to provide a more compact,
contemporary library, which will provide a more
efficient, cost effective service.
The library will co-locate with the McKillop Institute,
generating more efficiencies in terms of property costs,
operational costs and cleaning, caretaking.

12. Usage Summary for Lochwinnoch Library 2009/10
Total loans
2009/10 2009/10
21981 -2%
Total PC bookings
2009/10 2009/10
1783 -46%
Total visits
2009/10 2009/10
22764 -22%
Total transactions
2009/10 2009/10
46528 -15%
PC bookings dropped
by 46% between
2008/09 and 2009/10
Total visits dropped by
22% between
2008/09 and 2009/10
Total transactions
dropped by 15%
between 2008/09 and
2009/10
Total loans dropped
by 2% between
2008/09 and 2009/10

13. Stock usage statistics for Lochwinnoch Library
stock figures at July 2010
Adult
paperback
fiction
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentag
e not
loaned in
previous
year
Adult
hardback
fiction
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentage
not loaned
in previous
year
Adult
non-
fiction
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentage
not loaned
in previous
year
1724 259 15% 1146 88 8% 2177 905 42%
Junior
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentag
e not
loaned in
previous
year
Adult
large print
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentage
not loaned
in previous
year
Adult
talking
book
stock
Number
not
loaned in
previous
year
Percentage
not loaned
in previous
year
2759 791 29% 413 121 29% 285 113 40%
Stock not loaned
in previous year
42% of non-fiction
books
not loaned
40% of talking
books
not loaned
29% of junior
books
not loaned
29% of large print
books
not loaned

14. Developing the new library space
VISION - libraries to become the community hub
with more integration with other leisure and
council services.
• The library will provide adult and childrens
books, large print books and talking books.
• Public PCs will be provided. PCs will also be
available for online information and access to
the library catalogue.
• Other meeting spaces in the McKillop Institute
will be used for library activities.

15. Developing the new library space
• The library space will be predominantly paperback
to enhance choice of titles in a smaller space.
• The library will of course contain best-selling
current hardback titles.
• Customers will have access to the full stock of
Renfrewshire Libraries via the book request service.
(requests will be offered free of charge)
• Design of the library will be based on a modern
book retail environment, making the best use of space.
• Tea/ coffee facilities will be available
for customers.

16. Developing the new library space

17. Community engagement
• Tonight’s meeting can involve discussions with other
library users where you will have an opportunity to
share your ideas and views on developing the new
library space, including:
• reviewed opening hours
• stock selection (books, magazines, newspapers?)
• how many PCs?
• library design
• library events/ activities

18. What happens next?
• Work will begin to design the new library space within
the McKillop Institute
• Develop a library user forum
• Progress will be shared with the community.
• Current library services will continue unchanged
while work on the new library space develops.
• The relocation of the library to the McKillop Institute
will be completed by the end of June 2011.

19. QUESTIONS
and
ANSWERS