Nottinghamshire County Council has announced proposed increases to fees and charges for its Libraries, Archives, and Information Services for the 2025/26 financial year.
The changes, which are set to take effect from 1st April 2025, aim to balance the need to cover rising operational costs while maintaining accessibility for service users.
Inspire, an independent Community Benefit Society with charitable status, was established by the County Council to deliver statutory public library services, archive functions, and a range of cultural and learning services across the county. The current contract with Inspire runs until 31st March 2028, and the proposed fee increases are part of an annual review process that considers inflation, market forces, and the impact on service users.
The council has proposed a series of modest price and rate increases across various services, with some charges remaining unchanged.
Key changes include:
- Library Services: Charges for British Library and inter-library loan requests will rise from £6 to £6.30, reflecting increased costs. Overdue charges for items such as audiobooks, language courses, and replacement library cards will see an average increase of 5%. For example, the daily overdue charge will rise from 20p to 21p, with a maximum charge of £8 per item remaining unchanged.
- Venue Hire: Room hire charges at libraries will increase by an average of 5%. A new rate for the largest commercial businesses using library premises has been introduced, set at 125% of the standard commercial charge. This change is expected to affect only one or two hirers.
- Archives Services: Small increases are proposed for copying charges, postage, and research services. The charge for certified copies of Christenings will align with the Church of England’s Table of Parochial Fees for 2025. Notably, the assisted research service, which has not been requested for two years, will be withdrawn.
The council has highlighted the significant increase in costs over recent years due to inflation. In 2024/25, income from libraries is expected to be approximately £138,000 from fees and charges, £120,000 from room hire, and £14,000 from archives charges. The proposed increases are estimated to generate an additional £9,000 in income.
Most charges have been held for a number of years, but cost pressures mean that this is no longer sustainable.
The council has assured that concessions for children, young adults, and homebound individuals will remain in place, and there will be no changes to reservation charges or printing fees.
A consultation process was undertaken, including a review of fees and charges in neighbouring public library and archive services to ensure Nottinghamshire remains competitive. The council has also considered other options, such as holding all charges at current levels or increasing them in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or Retail Price Index (RPI). However, these options were deemed less viable due to the potential reduction in service usage and income.
The council’s recommendation is for the new charges to be approved and implemented from 1st April 2025.
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