Paid library staff across Shropshire reduced by a quarter in six years
The number of paid library staff across Shropshire has reduced by about a quarter over the past six years, new figures have revealed.
But during that time the number of unpaid volunteers has increased by about 38 per cent in libraries in the region.
Figures obtained by the BBC as part of an investigation show there were 187 paid staff in libraries in Shropshire in 2010, compared with 135 now. In Telford & Wrekin there were 61 paid staff in libraries six years ago, compared with 52 now.
Shropshire Council had 247 unpaid volunteers in 2010 and has 332 volunteers now, while Telford & Wrekin Council had 27 unpaid volunteers six years ago but 112 now.
Figures also reveal four libraries, including mobile libraries, have closed in Shropshire since 2010, compared with none in Telford & Wrekin. Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council have been looking to offload its libraries as part of cost-cutting measures.
Local communities and other organisations have been coming forward to run the facilities.
Stuart West, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: "Shropshire Council to date has not closed any library. However, in light of the financial savings that have had to be made, we have commissioned a number of libraries to be run locally – these include Craven Arms, Bishop's Castle, Cleobury Mortimer and Highley, to mention a few.
"Volunteering has always been prevalent across a number of cultural services including libraries, and we recognise the added value this brings to the service and to the volunteers themselves."
Councillor Liz Clare, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, said: "As part of our budget consultation earlier this year, the council has been clear that we can no longer afford to fund libraries as we have in the past and from April 2017 we are working with a number of town and parish councils and other organisations to look at alternative ways that these services could continue, in many cases with the service run by a different organisation.
"We are committed to long term solutions."
Nationally, almost 8,000 jobs in UK libraries have disappeared in six years.
