Issue details

Batley Town Hall is identified as having available capacity which is proposed to be repurposed and made fit for purpose to support wider council services.

This creates an opportunity to support the delivery of a modernised Library provision in a refurbished building.

This would release the Batley Library building, which requires extensive investment, as surplus to organisational requirements.

The decision was delegated to the Strategic Director of Adults and Health and Portfolio holder once consultation had been carried out.

Background information

The original proposal and delegation of the decisions to the Strategic Director can be found in the following Cabinet Report:

Asset Review Report

The consultation carried out can be found on the Kirklees Involve website:

Involve: Batley & Dewsbury Library Consultation

Consultation

A seven-week inclusive, accessible non-statutory consultation took place between 27th November 2023 – 15th January 2024. The consultation was available to all members of the public, both library and non-library users. This was also inclusive to key stakeholder including but not exclusive to ward councillors, friends of groups and community partners.

The purpose of this consultation was to:

a.  inform any decision around relocating the current library provision in Batley.

b.  provide insight into what the community would value the most in a relocated library; being shaped by the voices of the community using it and to give their opinion on the proposal.

c.   to provide the Strategic Director for Adults and Health a report following the consultation to inform a decision about moving Batley Library to the Batley Town Hall Building

Engagement with the Batley Friends of Group and Batley ward Councillors

continued following the formal consultation and the feedback received formed

part of the decision making process.