Kidderminster Library gallery change of use plans put on hold

12:07pm Monday 18th June 2012 in Local Photograph of the Author By William Tomaney

PROPOSALS to move Kidderminster Library’s gallery and piano to make way for Worcestershire County Council staff have been put on hold.

The planning application for a change of use of the top-floor facility has been withdrawn by the county council following concerns from Wyre Forest’s arts community.

It would have seen 139 staff move into offices on the top floor of the library. Gallery space would have moved to the ground floor and the Steinway piano would be moved to the first floor.

The idea has not been scrapped although the withdrawal will allow for more talks between the county council and arts community.

Opponents, including the Friends of Kidderminster Library Gallery, claimed the gallery was purpose built and its quality could not have been retained if moved elsewhere.

County council cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, Conservative John Campion, said the library service, however, still had to save £1.8 million.

“The arts community in Kidderminster have some concern over the possibility of moving the gallery and performance space from the top floor of the library,” he said, “So it is right we withdraw the current application to enable further dialogue to take place so we can understand those concerns.

“The county council and I are listening to the concerns of the community and we are keen to hear the ideas people have to meet our financial challenges in another way.

“No change is not an option and now is a chance for the community and objectors to come forward with their alternatives. It is unfortunate many comments have just been ‘we do not want it to happen’ so we need people to come forward with their ideas.

“The library service and county council face unprecedented financial pressure as the country struggles to deal with the huge national deficit.”

Mr Campion said meetings were planned between the county council and art groups in the district.

The plans have sparked controversy since being put forward by the county council earlier this year. Last Tuesday protesters set up next to a county council “have your say” event.

That same evening, Wyre Forest District Council’s planning committee, who were being consulted on the application, voted to “object” to the proposals.

Comments(15)

HowardM says...
1:26pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Well done John Campion and WCC! You have shown you have listened to public concerns. Well done also to the Kidderminster Gallery Friends, since without your tremendous collective input this step would not have happened! Now it is important to recognise the threat isnt totally removed but a door is opening and all concerned must work together to produce a lasting solution which safeguards the future of this superb facility!

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FranOb says...
2:04pm Mon 18 Jun 12

I congratulate John Campion for having the courage to withdraw the Planning Application.
I was delighted when the District Planning Committee overwhelmingly supported my move to Object in the strongest possible terms. Now we have to bring everyone together to get a solution to the County's need to make savings, WITHOUT threatening a much needed local facility.

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jon cooper says...
3:12pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Last week, on the Shuttle online, i commented that i would be "staggered" if John Campion and his WCC colleagues would let 'The Gallery' be axed - let alone be moved to another location within Kidderminster Library - to make savings that he is renound for preaching about.

While libraries all over the county and our district are facing drastic cuts; i knew deep down 'The Gallery' would never in a million years be sacrificed in any shape or form whilst a healthy Kidderminster representation is apparent at County Hall: 'FranOb' says: "Now we have to bring everyone together to get a solution to the County's need to make savings, WITHOUT threatening a much needed local facility". So it begs the question NOW; where does WCC envisage savings to be made in the Wyre Forest area; and which facilities will be hit hardest now Kidderminster has been predictably left untouched !

The library situation beyond the boundaries of Kidderminster is already a fragile one. Libraries, and the facilities within in them, are already being threatened with being downgraded to quite hideous levels, and i feel the question has to be asked as to why this really is the case, especially with this breaking news about the predictable Gallery decision above !

I have thought for a very long time now that WFDC is really Kidderminster Council - albeit in a different guise. I was always led to believe that Wyre Forest is a district that should be governed fairly and as one; but regarding the library review - and with regards to decisions like it - it is as clear that Wyre Forest is in fact a tale of three towns !

Sadly we live in very austere times where we're all having to tighten our financial belts for the uncertainties ahead. Frontline services are being drastically threatened with either cuts or being axed altogether to accommodate our neverending situation, and i shudder as to where the £1.8million saving will be made with regards to the library service as a whole. The £300,000 that was to be thrown at Kidderminster Library for the now aborted alterations, should, (in my opinion), be thrown at other much needy library services within the whole of the Wyre Forest area - my God we need them !

Finally, on a positive note, i would like to applaud the regular campaigners for 'The Gallery', (WHO HAVE NO POLITICAL MOTIVE WHATSOEVER), on being relieved of the threat that you feared. 'The Gallery' is indeed a fine facility for the arts, and i know for certain that if it is indeed moved at any point in the future, WCC will make sure it will be a venue for everyone to be proud of.

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Graham Kiteley says...
6:51pm Mon 18 Jun 12

The Classical Music Society shares the delight in the news that Worcestershire County has taken a step backwards in relation to their previous plans for the Gallery at Kidderminster’s Library. We remain cautiously optimistic that a solution can be found to retain the Gallery as a prime stage for musical performance. We have been encouraged at the response to our Society campaign and now hope that all those who have spoken out in support of music in Wyre Forest will show that support in person this coming Friday when the CMS hosts an attractive recital of music for cello and piano by Yelian He and Yasmin Rowe (collectively known as “Y-Squared”). These are very talented and fine musicians who have performed at most of London’s premier concert halls. This recital in the Gallery starts at 7.30pm. Full details are on the Society’s website:classicalmus
ickidderminster.org.
uk. Come along and revel in the delights of quality music-making in Kidderminster’s own mini theatre.

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Stephen Brown says...
7:20pm Mon 18 Jun 12

A commendable move by Mr Campion and WCC. I am confident that an agreeable solution can be found all round. Well done to all involved in the campaign.

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Mr Jupiter says...
7:22pm Mon 18 Jun 12

I am glad that WCC have seen reason at last and wisely have pulled back from a confrontation with the Campaign group and the wider community. Interesting though to see who is now claiming the credit for this reversal, when in fact it was the rank and file population of Kidderminster and Wyre Forest that pulled this off and the community activists that emerged from its ranks who drove the campaign from day one .... rather than the various latecomers now wanting to take all the glory.

This is a victory for the "Big Society" and for public opinion, so on behalf of the wider community I want to thank all those interested parties who have played a part in our very successful mass popular campaign to save the gallery from the vandals at County Hall.... at least for the time being anyway.
We will be watching developments very carefully in the coming days and weeks, but in the meantime well done the people of Kidderminster and Wyre Forest for showing WCC the true meaning of "people power".

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nicky.griffiths says...
8:16pm Mon 18 Jun 12

I congratulate Mr Campion and his colleagues on this move. However, contrary to Mr Campion's assertion above, we have never disputed that savings need to be made. In fact savings have already begun by cutting numbers of staff and opening hours at Kidderminster and centralising back room services. Nor does this decision prevent WCC generating income through their coffee shop in the foyer idea. We have suggested two alternative locations for the Social Services staff to Mr Campion so that the savings in rent can still be made. We also fee with better promotion and management the Gallery could generate more in come than the County Council claims it has done in the past. I am sure all the arts, history and civic groups that have joined in this campaign welcome the opportunity to meet all together with Mr Campion. However, he and his officers should be aware that the divisive tactics that appeared to be tried during the "engagement" event, where one group was told another group had agreed to something when they hadn't, will not work. We all talk to each other and many of us are members of more than one organisation. We all want this to work, and not at the expense of either Bewdley or Stourport, so let us forget party politics and work together with one aim.

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DOEPUBLIC says...
9:04pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Well done. A first step in 'walking the talk'.

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jon cooper says...
9:10pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Sadly the reality is that savings do need to be made - £1.8million is a huge amount of money to be saved within the county library service.

So where are these savings to be made, where do the cuts start and finish ? This is a question that with respect has been left strangely missing; not from the regular campaigners, but from the people who should know better - the political campaigners !

By hook or by crook; some of our libraries within Worcestershire and Wyre Forest itself WILL be hit ! This isn't speculation, these are hard facts. I personally think it's worth remembering and highlighting time and again that cost cutting was not purely being aimed at the arts community in Wyre Forest. This was a cut, from my point of view, that was to relieve essential monies from library funding in the whole county.

Clearly shouldering the burden of cuts in a fair manner will predictably not come easy to our Wyre Forest libraries !

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mrs coops says...
9:58pm Mon 18 Jun 12

i'm pleased that the kiderminster campaigners have got the decision they wanted but we now have to ask where the £1.8 million cuts are now going to be made???Stourport Library is supposed to be being downsized and moved to The Civic Centre, Bewdley Library is being downsized and moved to Bewdley Museum so where will the extra cuts be made???? The public have been asked to come forward with ideas on where these cuts can now be made, so as theres only kidderminster thats not already being downsized and moved where will these cuts be made??? Lets hope for kidderminsters sake that by protesting about the gallery being moved downstairs it isnt going to mean that kidderminster library will be set to take the brunt of the remaining cuts???;-/

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DOEPUBLIC says...
6:48am Tue 19 Jun 12

IMO this should now become an issue discussed across the County, so that fairness can be seen to be done. At a very basic level what is WCC's policy in this area for all members of the community, within the developing context of Think Local.

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Stephen Brown says...
7:39am Tue 19 Jun 12

@DOEPUBLIC.
Part of the FRIENDS campaign has been me asking for FOI on all financial info and business case material related to the changes to get a full handle on the library and social services costs etc. In addition, FOI asking for the equality impact assessment but importantly, a cross county cultural impact assessment on cultural provision to test the equity of the service and any plans. All of this is essential information, it was to test the plan they had, and will be important in going forward to help achieve a wide ranging acceptable solution as/when the FRIENDS meet to discuss this with WCC.

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mrs coops says...
9:41am Tue 19 Jun 12

At a meeting on December 15th 2011 the proposals put forward by the council were proposals "To move Stourport Library into the civic centre and Bewdley Library to the museum and guildhall complex site. The plan for Kidderminster Library was to integrate other services under the same roof.
There were plans to cut staff from from across the county, equating to 712 staff hours. The changes formed part of a business plan aimed at saving 28 % or £1.8 million from the libraries and learning service by 2015. The reduction in opening hours and staffing levels would save £620,000 in line with the expectation of the county council’s BOLD (Better Outcomes, Lean Delivery) target for library services for 2012/2013"......So based on this as Stourport and Bewdley have both already had the proposals made for the cutbacks this leaves Kidderminster up in the air as the proposal was just for Kidderminster Library to intergrate other services under their roof, now that the plans to do that with The Gallery have been postponed whats going to happen to kidderminster library now??? :-(

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harvey3 says...
3:19pm Tue 19 Jun 12

This gallery saga has overshadowed the real issues regarding cost savings to Worcs librarys. I have to keep reading the one line because i still can't believe it. To read that a steinway piano is to be moved to make way for office space to help make savings for Worcs Council seems to me no big deal considering cuts quite drastic cuts being made elsewhere. What the hell is a pricey steinway piano a purpose built performance spacer doing in a library anyway i have never heard of anything like it. Wouldnt it be more sensible to relocate the steinway piano into a much more suitable musical venue such as the town hall giving space up for offices to help save money all round?

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DOEPUBLIC says...
11:46pm Tue 19 Jun 12

Thanx 4 the clarity Stephen.

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