'Disgusted' with government cost-shift on libraries

ONCE upon a time, the State Government paid up to 80 per cent of the cost of running municipal libraries, now, much to the "disgust" of Cr Rochelle Halstead, that percentage has fallen away to just 15 per cent in the case of the Bass Coast Shire.

And Cr Halstead took the opportunity of a request from the regional library corporation ‘Myli’ for council to support a variation to the library agreement to allow the admission of new council members, principally to share administration costs, as a chance to go on the attack.

“Mr. Mayor, before I offer my support for the recommendation, I do wish to express my disgust at what's happened with our public library funding over the years," said Cr Halstead.

"The reduction in funding has forced local governments to seek alternative arrangements in an effort to continue providing this service to our communities.

"And we have seen services cease under the new structure, for example, the library bus in the Bass Coast Waterline was one of them.

“Prior to the 1980s public libraries were funded by the state governments to the tune of 80% of the funding, and by 1980, this had dwindled to just 50% and consecutive state governments have continued to reduce funding so that local governments now provide 80 per cent or more of the funding for their community libraries. In the case of Bass Coast, we're actually providing 85%.

"The state now offers, through the Public Library's funding program and further through their libraries’ infrastructure fund, that councils can apply for more funds, remembering that when councils apply for grants, they have to be prepared to also contribute funds.

“Over the years the state contribution toward running costs has equated to no more than 20%. This has been another blatant cost-shift by the state government and another bitter pill for local governments to swallow.

"Currently Bass Coast’s contribution through the new system of Myli was $1.92 million in 2021-22 and is fast approaching the $2 million mark with a $1.94 million contribution as part of our 2022-23 budget.

“In the 21-22 year, the state contributed just 15% at $287,635 and we're yet to find out what the 22-23 state budget to Myli will be.”

Cr Halstead, a former Liberal Candidate for the Seat of Frankston, went on to say the Victorian State Government had refused to apply a CPI increment to library funding, based on population, at which point she was pulled up by the Mayor Cr Michael Whelan, a supporter of the left side of politics.

"Cr Halstead, I'll ask you to wrap it up please," said Cr Whelan.

"Just a little bit longer, Mr Mayor," said Cr Halstead, intent on completing her statement.

"...and have chosen to use a flat allocation rate of 2%. This equates to huge cost to our ratepayers. It is well documented that libraries contribute significantly to improving education outcomes and I would argue significant benefits to the health and wellbeing of our communities."

Cr Halstead continued on saying that she encouraged the Myli board to seek a better deal from the State Government on its funding share, at which point Cr Whelan intervened again saying he had allowed Cr Halstead a degree of latitude during the debate.

Although Cr Halstead said that successive state government's had withdrawn library funding, it certainly appeared to be a pointed attack on the present regime which has overseen library funding for the past 12 years.

The mover of the motion being discussed, Cr Leticia Laing, didn't accept Cr Halstead's assessment, saying library services and funding to Bass Coast had actually increased in recent years.

“Thank you, Mr Mayor. I don't want to dredge up the past but we are always strongly advocating for funding and it's also excellent that our Chief Executive Officer for Myli (Leanne Williams) is actually the President of Public Libraries Victoria, so she's in an excellent position to be advocating for additional funds," said Cr Laing in closing the debate.

“We haven’t actually had a reduction in services as Cr Halstead pointed out. In fact, I would say that we have had an increase in services. We had $900,000 contributed from the State Government to the construction of the Cowes Cultural Centre Library, which is currently under construction and will provide a brand-new library.

“We have a new library in San Remo and we also have a new library in Grantville, which is serviced much more regularly than the mobile bus service was able to provide and has seen an increase in membership to that library, and an incredibly large membership growth within the San Remo new library service.

“I'll be the first one to advocate that our community does need new libraries, but we really do need to understand that the increase in funding that Bass Coast Shire has contributed is only a 1.5% variance,” said Cr Laing compared to the previous level of funding.

She said the funding provided by Bass Coast to the libraries was well within the 1.75% rate cap, and as such very economical, at which point, she was also asked to wrap it up by the Mayor.

Cr Laing commended the changes to the council.

As well as seeking to admit new member councils, the Myli board is taking the library corporation down the path of not-for-profit status which it believes will deliver member councils significant benefits including:

• Growth by offering services outside its existing region or to other Councils if, and when, they arise.
• Expanding the revenue base in other areas such as philanthropic funding, donations, and sponsorships from the private sector, to share in or reduce the cost of programs delivered to the community.
• Growing the revenue base provides greater resources and the ability to broaden the products and services offered to users and the community at no additional cost to Council.
• Growth advances the interests of Member Councils and ratepayers to reduce the cost base per capita.

Council agreed to the proposed variations to the library agreement provided that new member councils opened up their libraries to users within the group and operated under the same rules as library members including those in Bass Coast, Baw Baw and South Gippsland.