Geelong libraries considers its finance future after council draft budget

The latest funding packet to the region’s libraries from Geelong council is well short of what’s needed. Now a major rethink from the library manager is now underway.

The new Drysdale Library. Picture: Mike Dugdale

The manager of the region’s libraries will likely need to find more than $1.1 million in savings in 2023-24, prompting it to consider cutting open hours at some City of Greater Geelong libraries.

It comes after the City of Greater Geelong council has not meet in full a funding request from the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) for 2023-24.

Council’s draft budget shows it has allocated $13.95m to the GRLC in 2023-24, up about $272,000 on the $13.68m it expects to give the corporation in 2022-23.

The additional money the GRLC requested for 2023-24 was associated with the cost of operating the recently opened Drysdale library, and the library at Armstrong Creek due to open early next year.

Proposed funding for the GRLC comes as Geelong council is under significant pressure to balances its books in 2023-24, and is running a process to find $4.5m of possible savings in 2023-24.

The GRLC operates 20 libraries across the region including those at Geelong, Torquay, Apollo Bay, Bannockburn, Barwon Heads, Lara and Corio, and three mobile libraries.

In 2021-22 Geelong council contributed $11.29m to the GRLC, or almost 70 per cent of its total income, according GRLC’s latest annual report.

In that year contributions, of less than $1m each, to the GRLC came from the Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Colac Otway shires, and the Borough of Queenscliffe.

Acting chief executive Kaarina Phyland said council’s planned contribution to GRLC in 2023-24 was “short of what the library requested.”

A source told the Geelong Advertiser: “The chief executive of CoGG is trying to sneak through a million dollar cut to the Geelong libraries. Staff were told by the CEO. I looked at the draft budget and it looks like the budget is increasing but I am guessing that this is due to the new Drysdale library costs.”

Acting City of Greater Geelong chief executive officer Kaarina Phyland

All spending in the draft budget is open for public feedback until May 27 with a final budget expected to be voted on by councillors in June.

The GRLC said it needed more time to finalise its 2023-24 draft budget because Geelong council proposed to reduce its funding.

“The board was expected to sign off on the GRLC draft budget... on April 27,” a statement released Friday read.

“However the City of Greater Geelong draft budget... proposes a reduction in their contribution to the GRLC.

“As a result, the organisation requires additional time to revise the budget and the board will reconsider the GRLC draft budget on May 11, after which it will be released for public comment and submissions.”

Ms Phyland said council was in ongoing discussions with the GRLC chief executive.

“We understand this will have implications on the library corporation’s operations and we are in active discussion with their CEO to ensure they can operate as efficiently as possible within the funding they receive.

“We value our partnership with the library corporation and unfortunately their level of funding was one of several tough budget decisions our council has had to make, as we, like many organisations, must look to become as efficient as possible when delivering value to the community by operating within our means.

“The GRLC and all library members are welcome to make a submission on the City’s proposed budget through our Have Your Say process.”

GRLC chief executive Vanessa Schernickau said proposed council funding for the corporation meant it would need to consider a reduction of services.

“We have built a strong relationship with the City of Greater Geelong officers and will continue to work with them as we determine the reduction in their library services that will result from their proposed budget contribution to the Geelong Regional Library Corporation,” Ms Schernickau said.

“Delivery of library services and programs is our priority and more important than ever with our customers valuing our warm and safe places as they face increased cost of living pressures.”

Meanwhile Ms Phyland said Geelong council made its arts and culture manager redundant.

“The majority of impacts through the restructuring underway at the City of Greater Geelong over the past year have focussed on removing senior and middle level management roles to reduce staffing costs,” Ms Phyland said.

“One of the senior manager roles removed recently was the manager of arts and culture role. “All other arts and culture employees in this area have been retained, with team and/or reporting line changes.

“The structure changes will see all the current staff, excluding the one role removed, in our arts, culture and heritage areas embedded in departments that best align with their specific role or skill set.

“The aim of these changes is to have the right people working closely together to allow us to deliver the most efficient and high quality service to the community.

“We remain fully invested in supporting and fostering arts and culture in Greater Geelong. “Our proposed budget for 2023-24 includes $19.4m in total expenditure towards arts and culture.”

Originally published as Geelong libraries considers its finance future after council draft budget