Library Costs Treble in Three Months

Something fishy in the figures has emerged following the County Council's consultation on reducing the opening hours of Hedge End library.

Both Hedge End Town Council and Eastleigh Borough Council opposed the Conservatives' plans to close the library on Wednesdays.  Discussions between the three bodies involved resulted in a plan to maintain the existing opening hours by recruiting volunteers and installing self-service scanning kiosks.  The Town Council would recruit the volunteers and the Borough (in the form of the HEWEB Local Area Committee) would assist with the provision of the hardware.

In November it was reported (to the Community and Culture Committee of the Town Council) that each kiosk would cost in the region of £7,000.   Next Monday, the LAC will be asked to approve a report which puts the costs at £22,800 per kiosk, a huge increase in just three months.

Link to Hedge End Blogger post on the consultation (2nd November)

Link to Eastleigh News article on the call for volunteers (22nd January)