Following a public consultation and vote, Paulton Parish Council is pleased to announce that it intends to enter into an agreement with B&NES Council to take over the management of Paulton Hub from April 2019.

This will mean that the library will remain in its current location at the Hub and continue to be a focal point for the local community. B&NES Council, as part of its Modern Libraries programme, will only keep control of three libraries in the area – Midsomer Norton, which has now moved to the Hollies, Keynsham, and Bath Central Library, which is going to become the new ‘Bath Library and Information Service’.

After a public campaign to keep Bath Library at the Podium, the One Stop Shop at Manvers Street will be moving into the space alongside the library instead.

The Chairman of Paulton Parish Council said: “We are proud to be taking on the running of Paulton Hub, securing its future for the community. The outcome of the vote showed how important the Hub is to our residents.

“As well as keeping the library open, the Parish Council intends to promote greater community use of the Hub, with activities such as the use of computers, homework sessions, adult education, classes, book clubs and storytelling etc.

“A Management Committee has been set up with immediate effect to deal with the transition between now and April 2019.”

There were just under three hundred votes cast in the consultation – 204 wanted Paulton Parish Council to take on the responsibility of The Hub, 48 were against the idea, and 45 votes were void.

The new Management Committee, which met this week, consists of Councillors Liz Hardman, Anne Lyons, Jeff Humphries, Josh Luxton, Linda Quinn, Patricia McSherry, Hugh Warren and one non-Councillor – Kathleen Still, Library Volunteer Co-ordinator.

John Bull and Liz Hardman, B&NES Ward Councillors for Paulton, (Labour), also commented on the result of the Library Consultation.

Cllr Hardman said: “We are pleased that a facility such as the Hub Library will stay open. However, it is a shame that B&NES Council will not provide the resources to keep this service alive and is relying on Paulton Parish Council and its residents to finance the running of the Library instead.”

Cllr Bull added: “We now must make sure that we get as much help and financial support from B&NES Council to help Paulton Parish Council take over the running of the Hub Library, and that there is a smooth transition between now and April 2019.”

Back in Bath, and residents can now see the indicative designs of how the new library and information service will look and work, as the plans are on display at Bath Central Library in the Podium and at the One Stop Shop, on Manvers Street. The plans went on show last Friday, and will be available for three weeks. Readers can also view them at: www.bathnes.gov.uk/modernlibrary

It is anticipated that the renovation works will take place early in 2019.

Elsewhere, Saltford Community Library became the first community library to open its doors on Tuesday. They also hope to open the new Saltford Community Post Office on the premises in September. Others libraries that will be run by volunteers or community groups include Weston Bath, Radstock, Moorland Road and Paulton, as well as setting up brand new community libraries in Chew Valley, Peasedown St John, Stowey Sutton, Mulberry Park and Timsbury.

Cllr Karen Warrington (Conservative, Clutton), Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services, said: “We are overwhelmed and overjoyed to see so much activity from people keen to develop their own libraries – run by the community, for the community – with the support of B&NES Council.

“The story of our Modern Libraries approach is going far better than we could have imagined; as we find more and more innovative solutions that can help keep our libraries open, and even expand them into new locations and new audiences.

“It’s fantastic to see the new Saltford Community Library opening its doors this week; and we’re looking forward to the next chapters – with Stowey Sutton Community Library anticipated in September; followed by Weston in October. At this rate, we’re soon going to have even more libraries than we started with!”