Agenda item

A copy of the report to be submitted to the Cabinet at its meeting on 19 November 2014 will be available and circulated to members of this Committee on 10 November 2014. The report of the Scrutiny Review Panel which looked at the Infrastructure support package to be offered to local communities is attached as Appendix A to the Cabinet Report.

 

The Committee will be invited to comment on the future Strategy for the delivery of Library Services. The views of the Committee will be reported to the Cabinet.

 

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adults and Communities to be considered by the Cabinet at its meeting on 19 November 2014. The report set out the findings of the Scrutiny Review Panel on the proposed infrastructure support package to community libraries, the analysis undertaken by Red Quadrant and further exploration of alternative models for the delivery of library services. The report sought approval from the Cabinet regarding the way forward and model for the delivery of community library services. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 8’ is filed with these minutes.

 

The Chairman advised the Committee of a petition received from Bottesford Parish Council containing 448 signatures which called upon the County Council to continue to support and develop Bottesford Library. Although this petition was received after the consultation process had closed it reiterated some of the points that had already been raised during the consultation and would be taken into account in the further analysis undertaken by the County Council.

 

The Chairman invited Mr Jennings CC, the Chairman of the Scrutiny Review Panel to introduce the report of the Panel which was appended to the main report, marked ‘Appendix A’.

 

Mr Jennings in introducing the report of the Scrutiny Review Panel expressed his thanks to all those who had contributed to the work of the Panel. He advised the Committee that the Panel had been given a limited task, namely to consider and to review the infrastructure support package that was proposed to support any local communities to manage their local community library and make recommendations on the type, level and duration of the support to be provided by the County Council.

 

The support package now recommended by the Panel recognised that there needed to be flexibility to respond to a range of community situations and that a ‘one size fits all model’ was not the answer. The support package proposed was fairly extensive and sought to provide greater clarity regarding the transitional and ongoing support available to groups who might be considering working in partnership with the Council.

 

Mr Jennings commended the report to the Committee and urged communities to work with the Council’s officers in order to discuss and develop their plans with a view to retaining all 36 community libraries.

 

The Director of Adults and Communities welcomed the report of the Scrutiny Review Panel and added that the proposed model set out in the report had regard to the work of the Panel, the views from Red Quadrant and key themes emerging from the consultation. He reported that in addition to the recommendations of the Panel it was now proposed that library liaison staff would be based in eight of the 36 community libraries.

 

With regard to the challenge on the rationale for the identification of the 16 main libraries, the Director stated that Red Quadrant had been provided with detailed information which had been made available during the consultation and included information on usage. Based on an analysis of that information Red Quadrant had provided a high level assurance of the County Council’s rationale.

 

The Director also drew specific attention to the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments and interactive community profiles for each of the 36 libraries. These documents, which would be the subject of discussions with local communities, would help to inform future decisions taken on libraries.

 

The Director concluded by stating that the Cabinet at its meeting on 19 November would be asked to authorise him to begin a consultation process on the following:

 

·     Further development of the proposed delivery model in each community including the identification of eight libraries to act as a base for Library liaison Officers.

·     Invitations to local communities and groups to submit expressions of interest in operating the 36 community libraries with an infrastructure support package from the County Council as now outlined and to report progress thereon to the Cabinet meeting in April.

·     The future role and deployment of the mobile library service to ensure the most effective use of this resource. This should have regard to the emerging model for delivery of library services and be informed by a three month consultation.

 

The Cabinet Lead Member for Heritage Leisure and Arts, Mr. R. Blunt CC, echoed the views of the Director. Mr Blunt welcomed the work done by the Scrutiny Review Panel and commended the future model to the Committee. He advised the Committee that there had been positive engagement from about 12 communities and he expressed the hope that all communities would engage with the Council to consider how they could develop a plan for their library.

 

In response to questions and comments the Committee was advised as follows:-

 

i)         The brief to Red Quadrant was to provide high level assurance to the methodology and rationale used by officers to determine the 16 main libraries. Red Quadrant did not raise serious concerns regarding the rationale;

 

ii)       The Department was confident in its approach and the process adopted in relation to its responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty. Detailed Equality Impact and Human Rights Assessments had been produced in respect of each community library and these would be further refined in the light of discussions with local communities and groups;

 

iii)      The option of an Industrial Provident Society (IPS) in relation to the 36 community libraries had not been explored in detail as it emerged from the work of the Scrutiny Review Panel that the nature and requirements of each of the 36 communities would be different;

 

iv)     The proposed one-off reduction in the book fund would leave a sum of £611,330 In 2015/16.

 

It was moved by Mr Sharp and seconded by Mr Charlesworth:-

 

‘That the Cabinet be advised to reject the report from Red Quadrant as unsound and that a decision on the future model and provision of libraries be deferred to its December meeting thereby allowing the Scrutiny Review Panel to be reconvened to consider:-

 

i)     The rationale for determining the 16 main and 36 community libraries including any alternatives that could be achieved within the available financial envelope;

 

ii)   The implications of the Public Sector Equality Duty and how this might impact on the decision as to which libraries should be retained as main libraries having particular regard to:

 

·       Assessment of local needs

·       Requirements of different groups

·       Access issues such as availability of public transport;

·       Deprivation issues.’

 

The motion was put and not carried, four members voting for the motion and five against.

 

It was moved by the Chairman and seconded by Mr Jennings:-

 

‘That the Cabinet be advised that this Committee supports the proposed way forward on the library service as now outlined in the report.’

 

The motion was put and carried, five members voting for the motion and two against.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the comments now made be submitted to the Cabinet and the Cabinet be advised that the Committee supports the suggested way forward for the future provision of the Library Service.