This in from Bembridge Parish Council. Ed
Bembridge Parish Council agreed at its extraordinary meeting last evening (10th May), by a majority vote, not to take on the library lease.
The running costs and building maintenance costs provided by the Isle of Wight Council lacked detail and some elements came under question.
Advice from National Association of Local Councils
Legal advice received from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) clarified that a Parish Council is not a library authority and cannot provide a library service unless the Isle of Wight Council delegates that power to it under section 101 of the Local Government Act. The plan is that the Isle of
Wight Council would not delegate the power, but to lease the premises so a community group can run the library.
As the Parish Council does not have the Power of Wellbeing it does have the power under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972. This section allows the Parish Council to spend up to a total in any one year of £6.44 per elector on matters that it could not otherwise do.
Grant for community group to run service
A consensus has been reached, which will be agreed at the Annual Council meeting on 17th May 2011, to approve a grant of £4,000 (to match fund the Isle of Wight Council’s grant) to a local community group chosen by the Isle of Wight Council to perform their statutory functions in retaining a library service in Bembridge.
The Parish Council are keen to see a library service retained in Bembridge and will support a local community group in that process.
If you require further information please contact the Parish Clerk on 01983 874160 or email [email protected]
