YATE’S library could be relocated under a council savings plan – despite only undergoing a £1.5 million refurbishment in 2009.

South Gloucestershire Council is investigating moving the library into another building alongside its own 'one-stop shop', where residents can drop in to pay bills and access services.

The move would be part of the council savings programme which aims to reduce £812,000 from the authority’s buildings and services budget.

A council report said: “Yate is the second busiest one-stop shop and the library is one of the newest and busiest in South Gloucestershire.

"There are numerous options for the co-location of the Yate library and one-stop shop. These could potentially include changing location and sharing accommodation with partner organisations.

“It is recommended these options are further investigated with local stakeholders, with the goal of achieving a community hub including one–stop shop and library.”

Yate Library reopened in 2009 after a £1.5 million refurbishment project.
It was closed for a year while two extensions were built, increasing the footprint of the building from 457 square metres to 625 square metres, and the library was completely modernised.

The library now registers 146,000 visits per year, issuing 185,000 items.

Cllr Ruth Davis (Lib Dem, Yate) said: “Part of the problem at the moment is that the library is not big enough. There is not enough room in the library to put the One Stop Shop and they want to expand the library.

“It is a one-storey building but the foundations are not strong enough to build on top of.

“The council is looking at other sites within the town centre to relocate the library and One Stop Shop together. The bottom line is it will be in Yate Shopping Centre.”

The council has a target to save £22,000 in running costs at the One Stop Shop, which is located in a building between Yate Leisure Centre and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau controlled by leisure centre operator Circadian Trust.

Under the savings programme, Chipping Sodbury Library faces complete closure. The council said it does not have enough unique members, with many also using Yate Library, to warrant its £42,000 running costs.

If the library is relocated to a new building, it would be funded by Yate Shopping Centre, said Yate town councillor Chris Willmore, who sits on the Yate Town Centre Strategy Group. A contribution of £700,000 for library provision from developers building 3,000 homes at the Yate North New Neighbourhood would be used to improve facilities.

Said Cllr Willmore: “Yate Shopping Centre owners would replicate what we have now.

“We are very clear that the £700,000 would be spent additionally. If any building gets knocked down the shopping centre will pay that bill.”
She said the Pop Inn café, specifically for people aged over 50, could also be relocated.

“There is no threat to the library, it will stay in the town centre and so will the Pop Inn café,” she said.

“This is in the early stages but it is about bringing more facilities to the town centre. Any rebuild will not be at the public’s expense and over our dead bodies would we lose the library.”