June 4, 2015 2.20 pm This story is over 113 months old

Shortlist revealed to manage remaining Lincolnshire libraries

Libraries contract: Three organisations have been invited to bid to run Lincolnshire’s library services.

A shortlist of three organisations have been invited to bid to run Lincolnshire’s library services.

Lincolnshire County Council’s Executive Committee approved plans in February 2015 to cut the number of libraries in the county from 45 to 15 for the second time.

The service was put out to tender so that an external organisation could deliver the service on its behalf.

Some 30 libraries would be transformed into ‘community hubs’, joining 10 others.

Six initial applications were received and following assessment, three organisations have now been invited to submit a detailed bid.

The organisations are:

The bidders that have not been invited to tender are:

  • Lincs Inspire
  • Compass Point Business Services
  • Leisure in the Community

Councillor Nick Worth, Executive Member for Libraries, said: “The successful bidder will be responsible for providing the new-look service approved by the council’s Executive earlier this year.

“In the meantime, we’ll continue to implement our plans to create that new-look library service, working with local groups to develop the network of community hubs over the next few months.

“Supported by the council, the hubs offer a great opportunity to combine library and other services under one roof, as we’ve achieved in Caistor and Saxilby.

“We’ll do so in the firm belief that our plans are good for taxpayers, good for library users and good for local communities.”

A final decision is expected to be made at the end of the year with successful organisations expected to begin providing the library services from April 2016.

The council may still face a legal challenge to their revised plans after their initial proposals in 2013 were quashed by a High Court ruling.