Douglas City Council is set to support the Manx Family Centre with an annual £500 contribution towards its mobile library service.
The request came from the Manx Family Centre Association, which took over the former Family Library premises at Noble’s Hall, Westmoreland Road, after the library closed in July 2025 due to funding pressures.
The new community centre reopened in October 2025, staffed by the former Family Library team.
Funding
In January, the charity approached all local authorities seeking a flat £500 annual contribution to help fund the mobile library service.
Councillor Naomi Byron‑Teare declared an interest and withdrew from the discussion.
Members were reminded that the Council’s long‑standing policy, reaffirmed in 2021, was not to fund the former Family Library due to duplication with Douglas’s own library service.
However, Councillors advised that the current request differed in two key respects:
- The mobile library service does not duplicate any service offered by the Council;
- The £500 contribution could be met from the existing Library Service budget.
The report also noted that the service benefits Douglas residents, including those in residential homes, and aligns with the Council’s social infrastructure aims under its new Corporate Plan.
Supporting the Manx Family Centre
The Council already supports the Manx Family Centre in several non‑financial ways, including donating large‑print and audio books, lending stock to meet reader requests, and granting rates exemption due to the charity’s status.
As an alternative to funding, the charity had suggested the Council consider extending its CCTV coverage to include Noble’s Hall. Councillors advised against this, noting it would not be appropriate for the Council to provide CCTV for a Government‑owned building.
The Committee resolved to recommend that Council approve the £500 annual contribution, on the condition that the funding is ring‑fenced specifically for the mobile library service.
In return, the Manx Family Centre would be asked to include the Council’s sheltered housing complexes on its mobile library rounds.
The recommendation will now go before the full Council for final approval.
