North East Lincolnshire Council has established a cross-party committee to shape the long-term direction of its library services. The group, made up of elected councillors, is reviewing findings from a two-phase public consultation that drew more than 2,300 responses across Grimsby Central, Cleethorpes, and Waltham libraries.
Cleethorpes Library will remain in its current location and no changes are planned for Waltham. Grimsby Central Library is intended to stay in its Top Town building, although full repair and renovation requirements are still being assessed. A temporary pop-up library is operating in Freshney Place while this work continues.
Committee Chair, Cllr Steve Holland (Independent), said: “As fellow committee members and I re-examine all the evidence and work that has already taken place to look at our libraries and their future, we are keen to make sure that we don’t miss any opportunities for improvement that will ensure our libraries have a secure and exciting future. We are particularly keen to hear ideas that would offer a wider range of services.
“The consultations that were carried out indicate that most people want to have thriving public libraries and see them as very important. What we need to do now as a cross-party group, with the help of the whole community, is to suggest practical ideas that will contribute positively to creating a service that can grow and thrive,” he added.
The committee is now inviting residents and organisations to share suggestions on how libraries can evolve into broader community hubs as it develops an overarching strategy for the area’s library network.
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
