Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

(a)          Petitions: To receive any petitions referred from Full Council or submitted directly to the Committee;

Hove Carnegie Library: To consider the Petition from Christopher Hawtree presented to Full Council on 28 March 2019 ( see attached);

(b)          Written Questions: To consider any written questions;

(c)          Letters: To consider any letters;

(d)               Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion referred from Full Council or submitted directly to the Committee.

6 (a) Petitions                                                           

6.1     Christopher Hawtree appeared to hear the response to the petition on Hove Carnegie Library petition signed by 105 people which had previously been presented by Councillor Wealls to Full Council held on 28 March 2019.

6.2     The Chair gave the following response:

“The continued letting of a small reading room in Hove Library to a local music college is an integral part of the package of changes that were agreed by the cross-party Members Working Group on Hove Library last year.  The contract with the music college is for the provision of lending library services as well as the study space, and this income is an essential part of the funding needed to make Hove Library more affordable and sustainable.

The college students do use the room and the library services provided and have given very positive feedback.  For instance during May, 437 visits were made to the room by students.  Analysis shows that student visits to the room are fairly evenly distributed over the six days Monday to Saturday, and climb quickly after opening at 10am, peaking at around 11am and remaining high throughout the rest of the day.  Additional study seats were provided elsewhere in the library when the room was allocated to the music college service, and the room is available for public use in the college holidays.

The overall package of changes agreed by the cross-party Members Working Group included a nursery and the successful introduction of a café run by Café Domenica supporting people with learning disabilities.  Since opening the café in October, footfall has increased by over 7% compared to the same period a year ago.”

6.3     Councillor Clare wanted to thank Mr Hawtree for being so committed to the facts and for giving the residents in her ward value.

6(b) Written Questions

          There were none.

6(c). Letters

          There were none.

6(d) Notices of Motion

          There were none.