Agenda and minutes

(A period not exceeding 20 minutes for questions and statements from

members of the public and Elected Members to the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones. Questions/Statements should relate specifically to an item of business on the agenda and be limited to a maximum of 100 words. As stated within Executive Procedure Rule 3.3 each person will be allowed to submit one question/statement per meeting.A question may only be asked if notice has been given by delivering it in writing or by e-mail to the Governance Team no later than 5.00 p.m. of the third working day before the day of the meeting. Each question or statement must give the name and address of the person submitting it. Questions/Statements should be sent to the Governance Team, Floor 2, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU, or by email to Democratic.Services@doncaster.gov.uk)

Public Questions and Statements

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones read out a question submitted by Councillor Nick Allen:-

“There has been a lot of interest in the plan to close the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Doncaster.  I believe the Imagination Library is an asset to Doncaster and will be missed by lots of young parents. The Quarter 1 Finance and Performance Improvement Report states there is a plan to promote bookstart and community libraries. I agree this might be a helpful way to withstand the loss of the DPIL, but I still feel this initiative will need investment from the Council. How much is this promotion going to cost?”

The following response was provided:-

“Dear Cllr Allen,

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding the Imagination Library, expressing your concerns around the required funding to promote the alternatives to the scheme.

The background to this is that funding for the Imagination library came from an external School Forum Grant not Council funding, which covered a period of three years, and it is this funding that has now come to an end.  As the ‘Quarter 1 Report’ indicates, we have explored a number of alternatives and there is a plan to promote the following as alternatives.

Doncaster Council, working with community groups, maintains 25 libraries across the Borough, despite ongoing cuts from Central Government and a £2m revenue budget cut to our library service since 2011-12.

There are four libraries; Central, Mexborough, Edlington and Thorne that are maintained by Doncaster Council.  510 volunteers maintain the rest of the network across 21 libraries with integrated support from the Council.  All libraries are free to register for residents of all ages.

Doncaster Council remains part of the national Bookstart programme, which gifts children three different free reading packs at relevant stages before they start school, to help families read together with their children every day to inspire and develop a love of books and reading which has many benefits for children’s development.

There are also 12 Family Hubs across Doncaster, all of which host different sessions aimed at promoting early literacy.  Families are welcome with children of all ages through childhood, and even older if a child has a special need. Sessions run include story time and sing and shake. More details can be found on the Council website.

We will continue to seek alternatives, and, in the meantime, these are cost neutral ways for children to enjoy reading. As they already operate across Doncaster, there will be only limited costs to promote them as alternative options and they are part of the Council’s existing plans to promote literacy for all children.”

Decision records dated 9th July 2019 (previously circulated), were noted.