The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report advising theCommittee ofthe awardof anArts  CouncilEngland(ACE) Libraries Improvement Fund grant of £62,000 for Tilehurst Library and requesting scheme approval in order to proceed with the project.

The report explained that in 2021 Arts Council England had announced a £5m Libraries Improvement Fund, requesting bids focused on capital investment into library buildings, using a two-stage bidding process.  The final bid had been submitted in September 2021 and in February 2022 the Council was notified thatit had beensuccessful with itsbid for works at Tilehurst Library, and awarded £62,000.  As Arts Council England had provided the Council with a limited window within which to accept the grant,the Council had accepted thegrant withinthe grantoffer acceptanceperiod.

The report also explained that one of the aims of the Libraries Improvement Fund had been to invest in buildings to support wider use and support digital inclusion and the bid had therefore focused on Tilehurst Library to improve the ability of the building to be hired, to investigate use of the building outside of staffed hours, provide digital device lending on site and facilitate digital device lending to homes.  These aims fitted in with the Library Strategic Principles, which had been consulted on and adopted at Committee on 10 November 2021 (Minute 23 refers).

Resolved:

(1)      That the Tilehurst Library Project be approved and that it be noted that the scheme would be funded by Arts Council England Improvement Fund grant of £62,000;

(2)      That the Director of Finance exercise their delegated authority to accept the external funding of £62,000 from the Arts Council England Improvement Fund and allocate the funding to the Tilehurst Library Project.