Thank you to everyone who attended last night’s Parish Council meeting, and who signed the petitions to object to the reduction in Library opening hours. Thank you to the residents who spoke up so passionately about how important the Library is to them, and in particular to the young man in Year 6 who conveyed what the Library means to young people. The Senior SMBC Library Officers in attendance acknowledged the strong feeling of the community and agreed to carry out a wider engagement with residents – to find out when residents would like to use the Library, as current opening hours do not necessarily suit most residents. A small working group will be formed to progress this – a number of residents in attendance put their names forward to join this, with members of the Parish Council and SMBC Officers.

Once the working group has been set up, further information will be posted – so that as many residents as possible can have their say on the future of our Library.

Borough Councillor Ken Hawkins has set up an online petition so that residents can sign to support retaining current opening hours at the Library. SMBC propose to cut the opening hours on Tuesdays and Saturday afternoons – full details in an earlier post.

You can sign the petition at:

https://www.change.org/p/solihull-metropolitan-borough-council-retain-dickens-heath-library-opening-hours?fbclid=IwAR3h1XOGdUWUEVNGfMT4YB34iTpwtgSwuAaNVSHMNDLOhssnH91QW9iwu_E

Big Hours Cut Proposed at Dickens Heath LibrarySolihull Council have proposed the cutting of Dickens Heath Library opening hours by 26%, to just 14 hours per week, from 1st April 2020, bringing back the September 2019 plans that the Parish Council successfully opposed and were deferred at that time. The Parish Council was especially disappointed as only last April their Offices were sold, the mortgage paid off, and they co-located into the 1st Floor of the Library as a cost saving partnership for us both. This move had been long in arranging and was aimed at safeguarding the Community Library with the Parish Council now paying 45% of the building’s expensive running costs. The proposal to then reduce Library opening hours came as a huge disappointment and strong representations were made, supported by Cllr. Ken Hawkins, leading to the plans in the Library Review being further deferred by Cllr. Rolf, on 27th January, until June for further local consultation. 
We now need Community Action to support our Dickens Heath Library Campaign – here’s how: At the next Parish Council Meeting there are two Senior Solihull Council Officers – Kate Bunting (Libraries) and Alyson McGrory (Asst. Director) – attending to explain the proposals and hear the Parish Council/Community Views.  To “REVERSE THE PROPOSED CUT IN OPENING HOURS” – Public attendance at 7.15pm on Tuesday 11th February at the Library would greatly help.  To Sign the Petition to support the Parish Council at our stand at the Food & Craft Market at the Village Hall 10.00am to 12.00noon on Saturday 8th February (note this is a new time for the Craft & Food Market this month only). A copy of the petition to Solihull Council is attached in case any concerned residents would like to collect signatures from family or friends etc. and return to Dickens Heath Parish Council c/o Dickens Heath Library by 22nd February.  Email personal representations direct to Cllr Alison Rolf, the Cabinet Post Holder, at Solihull Council at alison.rolf@solihull.gov.uk 
The Proposed New Opening Hours are – Monday 2.00pm to 5.00pm (cut 1 hour) Tuesdays Closed (cut 3 hours) Wednesdays Closed (as now) Thursdays 10.00am to 1.00pm & 2.00pm to 6.00pm (1 hour increase) Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm (cut 2 hours) 
We say it makes little sense to have a costly Library building as a public asset open for just 14 hours a week, particularly given that the Parish Council  is now sharing the use and costs.

UPDATE – We have heard from Borough Councillor Ken Hawkins that the reduction in opening hours will be deferred until after the May Elections. So we have a little more time to make our feelings known!

Some of you may already know that Solihull MBC will be cutting our Library’s opening hours as of April – in a 6 month pilot.  This definite date has come as a massive shock to the Parish Council – we had thought that this proposal had been deferred, as a result of the Parish Council’s move to co-locate in the Library.  Indeed we had been hoping to extend the Library’s opening hours, but now face the closure of the Library on Tuesdays and on Saturday afternoons.  No one from the SMBC Senior Library team had the courtesy to inform us – we found out from our wonderful librarians, who have been working so hard to extend community activities in our Library.Alison McGrory and Kate Bunting of SMBC Libraries will be attending the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday February 11th 2020 at 7.15pm in the Library.  If you feel that the Library should keep its current opening hours (or even extend them) then please come along to the Parish Council meeting to show your support.

Parish-Council-News-February-2020

The Parish Council are embarking on a tree-planting project. With increasing awareness of the impact of global warming on the environment, we have given some consideration to what we could do, as a local community, to try and make a difference. Clearly, anything we do will be a small contribution to a huge problem but we believe this is a case where every little counts. We are planning to source a wide range of sapling trees from the Woodlands Trust and will be offering free trees to residents of Dickens Heath to plant in their gardens in the Spring of 2020. We will also be planting additional trees around the village including on the perimeter of the village green. Mike Small, our newest Parish Councillor, who is coordinating the project, has already gained the support of the local Scout group and has a approached the Head Teacher of the school. If you are interested in this project and would like to get involved please contact us at the Library, by emailing dickensheathpc@hotmail.com or ringing 07772 469271 and Mike will be in touch.