Council rejects concerns that volunteers could replace paid staff under new strategy

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

Volunteers supporting a council’s library service are no threat to those employed in them, a senior council officer has said.

Rather volunteering with the library service is seen as an opportunity for people to gain experience and support the work of staff according to Richard Drinkwater the manager for Monmouthshire County Council’s community hubs and public libraries.

Councils are required by law to provide a “comprehensive” public library service but the 1964 legislation doesn’t give a clear definition of what is meant and Welsh councils work to standards agreed by the Welsh Government, which advises them to publish a public libraries strategy every five years.

Monmouthshire is preparing to publish its 2025 to 2030 strategy which it started working on last year that included consulting with the friends group that support its libraries.

The strategy continues the council’s approach of running its main libraries from community hubs where the public are also able to access other council services from collecting food waste bags to reporting themselves as homeless.

It also intends for the library service to promote reading, access to digital devices and skills, to be venues for cultural events including Welsh language promotion and community education classes as well as being safe spaces that support community wellbeing and which work in partnership with local groups.

The council has community hubs, which include libraries, in Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth and also a library in Usk and a community library in Gilwern. Around one third of the county’s population are library members.

The authority developed the hub approach, from 2014, and Mr Drinkwater said each had developed differently in response to community needs.

But he said the intention is staff are able to deal with all queries: “Imagine plucking up the courage to present as homeless and being told ‘we can’t help you, you’ve got to go to that desk’. The same person who has made a good read recommendation can also help navigate finding a bed for the night.”

Role

When the strategy was presented to the council’s people scrutiny committee Conservative member Christopher Edwards asked about the role of volunteers.

The Chepstow St Kingsmark councillor asked how community groups could support the core service and also asked: “What role are volunteers expected to play? Are we at risk of replacing skilled staff with unpaid roles?”

Mr Drinkwater said the service works with volunteer groups including the friends groups and said: “We do have a few volunteers within the service and we don’t see that as any risk to paid colleagues and the role they fulfil. It’s never been an aspiration, to put it bluntly, to replace paid colleagues with volunteers. Volunteering enables people to gain experience.”

He gave the example of a “young man with learning difficulties” who volunteers for two to three hours a week at Caldicot library who he said helps stock shelves, supports the “Reach Out” home delivery service and helps staff with Lego workshops and said “he’s an absolute asset.”

Welsh language classes, in conjunction with Coleg Gwent, will also be provided in all of the council’s main library hubs from this September while the service also has an increased budget to buy new books.

The committee fully endorsed and approved the proposed library strategy.