FUTURE EALING
Have your say
Ealing Council is currently running consultations on the future of its libraries and
its children’s centres. It wants as many people as possible to give their views on its
proposed changes.
U
nder its library proposals,
the council would continue
to directly operate six of its
13 libraries. The remaining
seven could become community
managed, if local groups came forward
with good plans.
Proposals for the borough’s children’s
centres include retaining the seven main
centres as they are but potentially making
changes to the other 20 smaller sites. Nine
of these smaller sites are likely to stay the
same or be enhanced, with the other 11
seeing reduced council services; although
a few of the smaller sites could close.
You can have your say and read
more about the council’s plans at
www.ealing.gov.uk/consultations by
clicking on ‘Current consultations’ and
then choose either ‘Have your say on
the draft Ealing library strategy’ or
‘Have your say on the future of Ealing
children’s centres.’
6
around ealing April/May 2019
The consultations will both run until
17 May 2019. They opened in February.
If you have a question about the
library consultation, you can email
[email protected] ; and if you have
a question about the children’s centre
consultation, you can call 020 8825 5588
or email [email protected]
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Responses to the consultations will
inform reports on each subject that will
be considered by the council’s cabinet
in July. At that point, final decisions
are due to be made. If the council’s
proposals are accepted, the changes
to the services could begin to be
implemented from this autumn. If not,
the cabinet will decide what to do next.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
VOLUNTEERING?
The council also wants the library
consultation at www.ealing.gov.uk/
consultations to be filled in by anyone
interested in supporting local library
services – either as a volunteer or as a
community organisation. In parallel to
the consultation, there will be drop-in
sessions for people to find out more
about what becoming a volunteer
might involve – including at Ealing
Central Library on Saturday, 27 April,
between 11am-3.30pm.
If you would like to read more
about an example of how
community managed libraries work
elsewhere, visit ealingnewsextra.co.uk/
features/community-library