ECC20473905 06 26 - Libraries activities promotion

 

 

Freedom of Information Act Request

 

Reference: ECC20473905 06 26

Response: 01 July 2026

 

I can confirm that Essex County Council does hold some of this information, and where we are able to release this, our response is listed below.

 

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This request concerns the recently publicised decision to scale back support for, promotion of, or involvement in events at Essex libraries which may highlight particular groups or themes.

Please provide the following information:

Background documents and correspondence

Question 1 - Please provide copies of all information held relating to this decision, including but not limited to:

• Internal and external correspondence;

• Emails

• WhatsApp messages;

• Signal messages

• Microsoft teams messages;

• SMS/text messages;

• Instant messages sent or received via any other platform used for council business;

• Memoranda and briefings;

• Reports, presentations and decision records;

• Advice provided by officers

• meeting agendas, minutes and notes;

• Equality impact assessments;

• Risk assessments; and

• Any communications with library staff, library partners, contractors, stakeholders or third parties

 

Please see attached FAQ, Q&A and email messages.

 

Concerning the proposal, decision or implementation of the decision.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am seeking all information created, received or held by the council in relation to the decision, instruction, policy change or operational change, regardless of the format in which that information is held.

 

Monitoring officer advice

Question 2 - Please state whether the relevant cabinet member sought or received any advice from the council’s monitoring officer before making the instruction or decision.

Question 3 - If so, please provide:

• The date on which advice was sought or received;

• Copies of any written advice;

• Copies of any correspondence concerning that advice;

• Details of any meetings at which such advice was given; and

• Any records, notes or minutes recording the substance of such advice.

If any advice is withheld, please identify the exemption relied upon and explain, insofar as possible, the nature of the information withheld.

 

Please see FAQ, as this was an informal decision and legal advice was not sought in this instance.

 

Constitutional authority

Question 4 - Please identify the specific provision(s) of the Essex County Council constitution, scheme of delegation, executive arrangements, cabinet member responsibilities or any other governance document which the council considers authorised the relevant cabinet member to make or issue the instruction to the library service.

Question 5 - Please provide copies of the relevant constitutional, delegational or governance provisions.

 

We do not hold any recorded information on this matter. 

 

During a discussion about the calendar of events promoted on corporate social media channels, some elected members expressed an informal view that they would prefer the Council not to proactively promote Pride events via these channels. No formal decision was taken by councillors. Subsequently, the Head of Communications—who has delegated authority over corporate communications—made a decision regarding the content of the Council’s social media activity. This decision related solely to the promotion of events through corporate social media channels.

 

Governance and decision-making process

Question 6 - Please provide details of the governance process followed in relation to this decision, including:

• Whether the decision was recorded as a key decision or non-key decision;

• Whether any formal officer decision record or member decision record was produced;

• Whether the matter was considered by cabinet, an individual cabinet member, a committee, board, officer group or any other governance body;

• The dates of any such consideration;

• Whether any legal, constitutional, equalities, financial or governance advice was obtained; and

• Copies of all relevant decision records, reports, minutes and governance documents.

 

Please see response to question 3.

 

Financial implications

Question 7 - Please provide:

• Any estimate, calculation, assessment, business case or briefing relating to the financial consequences of reducing support for or promotion of such events;

• The fiscal saving anticipated by the council as a result of the decision;

• Any documents assessing costs, savings, efficiency gains or budget impacts arising from the decision; and

• Any analysis comparing the anticipated savings against any loss of attendance, usage or other

 

There were no cost savings applicable. 

 

Service impacts.

Library footfall

Question 8 - Please provide data showing customer footfall in Essex libraries from 1 January 2024 to the date of this request.

Question 9 - If possible, please provide:

• Monthly footfall figures for the library service as a whole;

• Monthly footfall figures by library branch, if held; and

• Any summary analysis, reports or dashboards held by the council showing whether customer footfall has increased or decreased since 1 January 2024.

 

Please see attached spreadsheet.

 

Equality and public sector duties

Question 10 - Please provide any equality impact assessment, equality analysis, screening assessment or similar document prepared in relation to this decision.

Question 11 - If no such assessment was undertaken, please provide any records explaining why no assessment was considered necessary.

 

No equality impact assessment was undertaken as it was not required.

 

 

 

Your Right to Know

Democracy and Transparency

Essex County Council

Telephone: 033301 38989

Email: YourRight.ToKnow@essex.gov.uk | www.essex.gov.uk