City of Greater Geelong Acting CEO Kaarina Phyland:
The City of Greater Geelong does not support the closure of any libraries.Like many governments and other organisations, we are under financial pressure due to rapidly rising costs. Our Council is facing difficult decisions as it looks to keep the City financially sustainable so we can continue to focus on the critical areas only a council can deliver for their community.
Within this context we are asking all of our service providers to do the same.
The Council's proposed budget for 2023-24 includes a total contribution towards the Geelong Regional Library Corporation of $13.948 million, including a cash contribution of $12.244 million. This is a $240,000 increase on funding from 2022-23. The City contributes 85 per cent of the GRLC's operating budget.
We value the role that libraries play in our community and have requested the GRLC not close any libraries, but rather tighten their belt with our community's needs front of mind.
The GRLC has options that they are choosing not to take up.
We are in the process of assisting the GRLC to identify where they can make savings in senior roles and back office roles to align to an organisation of their size, as well as savings in other discretionary operating costs.
The City has previously supplied payroll, finance and other back office services to the GRLC but the Corporation has chosen to take these responsibilities in house, adding to their overheads.
We will consider taking library services in-house if the GRLC cannot find a way to operate all of Geelong's libraries with the funding available.
We urge everyone in the community to provide your feedback on the GRLC's draft budget, asking them to find a way to operate all of Greater Geelong's libraries within their available funding: submissions can be made by emailing [email protected], addressed to the CEO.
