Hucknall Library future secured after being placed in top tier under new county plan

The strategy, which will run from 2025 to 2035, was approved during a full council meeting on December 5 and will see Hucknall Library put in the top bracket of county libraries.

The plan sees libraries across the county split into three tiers.

Hucknall is in tier one which is for libraries that serve major towns and will offer services for at least six days a week with paid staff.

The announcement puts to bed any suggestions that Hucknall Library might have been facing closure, as was suggested back in 2022, when Ashfield Council leader Coun Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind) claimed he had ‘concrete evidence’ there were plans to move library services to the proposed new Cavell health centre for the town – plans for which are now mothballed.

These claims were strongly denied at the time by Coun John Cottee (Con), then cabinet member for communites at the Tory-controlled county council.

Now, this new ruling ensures Hucknall Library is staying exactly where it is.

The county council passed the running and operation of libraries to the organisation Inspire in 2016.

Its contract will expire in 2026 with a proposed extension until 2028.

Coun Scott Carlton (Con), portfolio holder for communities and public health, said: “This administration will not close libraries and I stand by that guarantee.

The new strategy includes a 12-point action plan to enhance library services such as using technology, investment into buildings, and increased staff training.

Coun Steve Carr (Ind) acknowledged a cross-party effort in the retaining of the library network during difficult circumstances.

He said: “One of the reasons our libraries are in such a good place is because of the agreement across the floor here.”

But Coun Tom Hollis (Ash Ind) expressed his concern for the discrepancy in services offered by the different tiers, highlighting that in his area of Huthwaite, the library would now only be open for 12 hours a week.

He said: "What continuing a tiered service shows is this council has absolutely no intention of improving the services and opening hours in the second and third tier libraries.”

Coun Penny Gowland (Lab) asked if the strategy could be amended to enable tier three libraries to engage in public health messages.

She said: “The tier one and two libraries have an active role in public health, the tier three ones seem quite a passive role.

"I ask to try and make a more active engagement for public health in tier three libraries – its a key location where the council actually reaches the community.”

Coun Bruce Laughton (Con), said: “I’ve got three libraries, every single one has been under political attack, people saying they were going to close, sacking staff, and scaremongering – that is completely wrong.”

Coun David Martin (Ash Ind), responded by saying: “All of my libraries closed, they all got moved into different buildings, they all had employees and now they’re all run by volunteers – it works.”

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the updated library strategy.