Proposed changes to opening hours for libraries in New Forest District

Lymington Library

Lymington is designated as a key library.
There are no proposed changes.

Number of responses
23

Feedback

The majority of comments received were happy that Lymington’s hours would remain unchanged. A couple suggested later opening, should changes be required in the future and one suggested opening Wednesday afternoon rather than morning.

Day	Opening hours
Monday	9.30am-5pm
Tuesday	9.30am-7pm
Wednesday	9.30am-1pm
Thursday	9.30am-5pm
Friday	9.30am-7pm
Saturday	9.30am-5pm
Total hours	45 hours

Comments

Lymington Library is designated as a key library and no changes to opening hours are proposed.

Hythe Library

Hythe is designated as a large library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
218	148 (68%)	70 (32%)

Feedback

The majority agreed with the proposed changes, however of the disagrees 47 (67%) wanted to keep open on Wednesday morning and of these 26 (37%) suggested opening later each day rather than the proposed 9am. Hythe and Dibden Parish Council sent in a response to the Chief Executive offering to work in partnership with HCC to help deliver improved services in a number of areas including libraries.

Day	Current hours	Proposed hours	Revised proposals
Monday	9-30am-5pm	9am-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Tuesday	9.30am-7pm	9am-7pm	Retain current opening hours
Wednesday	9.30am-1pm	Closed	Retain current opening hours
Thursday	9.30am-7pm	9am-7pm	Retain current opening hours
Friday	9.30am-5pm	9am-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	9am-1pm	Retain current opening hours
Total hours	41 hours	40 hours

Comments

Following discussions between LIS and Hythe and Dibden PC on ways that they can assist in reducing costs, Hythe and Dibden PC has offered to contribute to the cost of installing self service technology. Therefore there will be no change to opening hours as part of the current review.

New Milton Library

New Milton is designated as a medium library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
384	257 (67%)	127 (33%)

Feedback

A majority agreed with the proposed changes. Of the disagrees, there was no consensus. 37 wanted to keep Wednesday mornings, 38 wanted to keep 2 late nights or one late night plus longer opening on Saturday. A range of alternative opening times were suggested to support both keeping Wednesday mornings and two late nights.

Day	Current hours	Future hours
Monday	9.30am-5.30pm	9am-5pm
Tuesday	9.30am-7pm	9am-5pm
Wednesday	9.30am-1pm	closed
Thursday	9.30am-7pm	9am-7pm
Friday	9.30am-5.30pm	9am-5pm
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	9am-1pm
Total hours	42 hours	38 hours

Comments

As 67% agreed with the change, the proposed alteration will go forward for approval.

Ringwood Library

Ringwood is designated as a medium library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
110	87 (79%)	23 (21%)

Feedback

Of the disagrees 13 (56%) wanted later opening to 5:30. 10 suggested opening at 9:30 rather than 9.

Day	Current hours	Future hours
Monday	Closed	Closed
Tuesday	9.30am-7pm	9am-7pm
Wednesday	9am-5.30pm	9am-5pm
Thursday	9am-5.30pm	9am-5pm
Friday	9am-5.30pm	9am-5pm
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	9am-1pm
Total hours	38.5 hours	38 hours

Comments

As 79% of the responses agreed with the change, the original proposed alteration will go forward for approval.

Totton Library

Totton is designated as a medium library.

	Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
Original proposal	: 115	65 (57%)	50 (43%)
Revised	157	54 (34%)	103 (66%)

Feedback

From original proposed change: the majority accepted. Of the disagrees 67% wanted to keep open on Wednesday morning, either by closing another half day or by opening later or closing earlier. Totton Town Council and a New Forest District Councillor expressed their concern over closing on Wednesday, because of the recently reintroduced market held on Wednesday morning.

From revised change: The majority disagreed with the revised proposal. Of these 69% wanted to retain Saturday afternoon although statistically it is quieter than Wednesday morning and 51% wanted to keep the late night. 44 responses (43%) preferred the original proposed change.

Day	Current hours	Proposed hours	Revised proposal	Alternative proposed change
day	9am-5pm	9am-5pm	9.30am-5.30pm	Original proposal
Tuesday	9am-5pm	9am -5pm	9.30am-5.30pm	Original proposal
Wednesday	9am-1pm	Closed	9am-1pm	Original proposal
Thursday	9am-7pm	9am-7pm	9.30am-5.30pm	Original proposal
Friday	9am-5pm	9am-5pm	9.30am-5.30pm	Original proposal
Saturday	9am-4pm	9am-4pm	9am-1pm	Original proposal
Total hours	45 hours	41 hours	40 hours

Comments

Totton Town Council has been informed of the feedback to the revised proposals and the plan to revert to the original proposals and take this forward for approval.

Fordingbridge Library

Fordingbridge is designated as a small library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
98	61 (62%)	37 (38%)

Feedback

97% of the disagrees wanted to keep the late night. 10 of these suggested doing this by opening later but gave no details on how to do this. Therefore there was no consensus on alternative opening hours to include a late night.

Day	Current hours	Proposed hours
Monday	Closed	Closed
Tuesday	10am-7pm	9.30am-5pm
Wednesday	10am-5.30pm	9.30am-5pm
Thursday	10am-1pm	Closed
Friday	10am-5.30pm	9.30am-5pm
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	9.30am-1pm
Total hours	30.5 hours	26 hours

Comments

As 62% of responses agreed with the revised proposed changes these will go forward for approval

Lyndhurst Library

Lyndhurst is designated as a neighbourhood library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
51	23 (45%)	28 (55%)

Feedback

46% of  those disagreeing wanted to keep the current opening hours, but did not give suggest alternative opening hours. Other feedback included requests for a late night opening (9). Lyndhurst Parish Council expressed concern about the proposed reduction in opening hours

Day	Current hours	Proposed hours	Revised hours
Monday	9.30am-1pm	10am-1pm	Retain current opening hours
Tuesday	2pm-5.30pm	2pm-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Wednesday	9.30am-1pm	10am-1pm	Retain current opening hours
Thursday	Closed	Closed	Retain current opening hours
Friday	2pm-5.30pm	2pm-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	10am -1pm	Retain current opening hours
Total hours	17.5	15

Comments

The current opening hours will be retained, based on customer feedback and the increase in use of the library since its recent refurbishment co-located in the community centre in the heart of Lyndhurst. Also it is below the opening hours target for neighbourhood libraries.

Blackfield Library

Blackfield is designated as a neighbourhood library.

Number of responses	Agree with proposal	Disagree
105	14 (14%)	91 (86%)

Feedback

64 responses (70%) wanted to keep lunchtime opening or for there to be no change to hours. There were few suggestions on alternative changes to opening hours, instead of closing at lunchtime.

Day	Current hours	Proposed hours	Revised proposal
Monday	Closed	Closed	Retain current opening hours
Tuesday	10am-5pm	10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Wednesday	Closed	Closed	Retain current opening hours
Thursday	10am-5pm	10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm	Retain current opening hours
Friday	Closed	Closed	Retain current opening hours
Saturday	9.30am-1pm	10am-1pm	Retain current opening hours
Total hours	17.5 hours	15 hours

Comments

The current opening hours will be retained in response not only to customer feedback but due to the forthcoming refurbishment of the library and the fact that Blackfield library’s catchment includes an area of deprivation which is amongst the 20% most deprived in England and the number of opening hours are below the target for neighbourhood libraries. Other efficiencies have been identified as part of this consultation.

Milford on Sea

Milford-on-Sea is designated as a neighbourhood library.

Number of responses
45

Feedback

Aside from expressing pleasure that there will be no reduction in opening hours several of the comments received requested that the opening hours should be made more consistent as currently they are confusing. There were requests for longer opening hours and suggestions for using volunteers to increase hours. The response from the Parish Council supported the other comments received.

Day	Opening hours
Monday	2.30pm – 5.30pm
Tuesday	2.30pm – 4.30pm
Wednesday	10am – 12.30pm
Thursday	Closed
Friday	10am – 12.30pm
Saturday	Closed
Total hours	10 hours

Comments

No changes as opening hours are already below the target for neighbourhood libraries. The request for more consistent opening hours will be addressed in future.