Latest news with #BruceLeeke
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
What will Suffolk council library takeover mean?
Library services in Suffolk are set to be taken back under control by the county council on Sunday. An independent charity had been running them for the previous 12 years. What will the change mean for people? Why is this happening? Suffolk Libraries had run the service since 2012 across 45 to renew its contract with the council started in November but broke down in Faircloth-Mutton, the Conservative councillor responsible for libraries, said he "no longer had confidence in Suffolk Libraries' financial viability or management".Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Suffolk Libraries, said his team was "incredibly shocked" and "disappointed".The council said the charity had proposed unacceptable terms, including reducing opening hours by 30%.Faircloth-Mutton also raised concerns about the cost of the charity's head office and senior Leeke responded: "We currently have one of the best run library services in the country which has saved millions of pounds of taxpayers' money." What was the reaction? About 23,000 people signed a petition opposing the move and protests were held outside the council's headquarters and some libraries. Rachel Wood, a library user from Newmarket, said she was "horrified" by the decision."We must not let Suffolk County Council throw something away that has helped so many people," she said. Opposition councillors opposed the Conservative-led council's Green, Liberal Democrat and independent group said a public consultation should have been held, while Labour questioned how the change would save supported the council's decision and said services were best run and delivered by the Dorsett, Unison's eastern regional organiser, said the union wanted to ensure "terms and conditions remain protected". Will libraries be closing? The council says no, they have no plans to close any of the libraries and opening hours will not change. Faircloth- Mutton said that services would be "as usual"."Sites will be open, mobile library vans will be touring our villages and it will be the service that people know and love across Suffolk." What could change? Branding appears to be the main thing. Logos are likely to change, as are some contact details like email addresses. The council said there would be some new social media accounts with others rebranded and there would be a new will not need a new library card, their current one will work, however when they expire different ones will be said there would be an investment of "£200,000 in mobile libraries, with a further £157,000 for new books". Will jobs be lost? Potentially. The council says that staff contracts are being moved over, so employees will now work for the said that the jobs of frontline staff would be "maintained", however there would be a review of the "back office in general".He said that would involve "systems, processes and staff".When asked by the BBC if a review would potentially mean job losses, he said: "A review is a review." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Suffolk libraries to be run by council after contract dispute
A county council has said it will bring the running of its libraries back in-house after it failed to agree terms with its private charity Suffolk Libraries has run the service since 2012, which now has 45 County Council said the charity had proposed unacceptable terms for the new contract and that the libraries would now be "in safe hands".Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Suffolk Libraries, said his team was "incredibly shocked" and "disappointed". Suffolk Libraries' contract with the Conservative-run county council was due to run out on 31 May.A formal procurement process was started last council said the charity proposed cutting opening hours by 30% and there was concern about the cost of its head office, which it said equated to 33% of annual staffing Faircloth-Mutton, the cabinet member responsible for libraries, said the decision was "the right thing to do"."The future of Suffolk's 45 libraries will be in safe hands as part of our plans to protect and enhance the service," he said,He said no libraries would close and there would be no reduction in opening council would not be drawn on whether jobs would be at risk, but said the announcement would provide "certainty and security for our most important asset - library staff and volunteers."A total of £200,000 would be invested in replacing Suffolk's aging mobile libraries and a further £157,000 for new books and on replacing public computers, the council was in addition to the £6.6m budget that was available for Suffolk's libraries, the council continued. Mr Leeke said the announcement was a "bolt from the blue" and said Suffolk Libraries had done "an amazing job" under "very challenging circumstances"."We have successfully steered the charity to become a recognised pioneer for change within the library sector," he said."We currently have one of the best run library services in the country which has saved millions of pounds of taxpayers' money, increased the impact and value of libraries and ultimately made Suffolk a better place to live by offering residents access to a ground breaking and diverse range of services and support."We intend to fight this decision". Opposition groups on the council were also Farley - spokesperson responsible for public health and libraries for the Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent group - said the council had not significantly increased its library service budget for more than 10 years."With rising costs of providing any service it's not surprising Suffolk Libraries are unable to continue to provide the people of Suffolk with the level of service that they deserve," he was "likely" jobs would go, he a joint statement, three Labour MPs for Suffolk said the council had made a "rushed decision" and they would seek "urgent clarification".Jack Abbott, Jess Asato and Jenny Riddell-Carpenter said: "Regardless of the merits of Suffolk County Council's case, it is completely unacceptable for decisions of such gravity to be made based on disputed figures and with only 15 minutes notice to Suffolk Libraries."The council plans to bring the service in-house as of 1 members will need to rubber stamp the decision at a meeting on 18 March. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
