Public Document Pack County Offices Newland Lincoln LN1 1YL 22 November 2013 Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee A meeting of the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee will be held on Monday, 2 December 2013 at 10.00 am in Committee Room One, County Offices, Newland, Lincoln LN1 1YL for the transaction of the business set out on the attached Agenda. Yours sincerely Tony McArdle Chief Executive Membership of the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee (11 Members of the Council) Councillors C J T H Brewis (Chairman), K J Clarke, A J Jesson, D C Morgan, C R Oxby, S L W Palmer, N H Pepper, R J Phillips, Mrs A E Reynolds, R Wootten and 1 Vacancy COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE AGENDA MONDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2013 Item Title Pages 1 Apologies for Absence/Replacement Members 2 Declarations of Councillors Interests 3 Library Needs Assessment 1 - 258 (To receive a report from the Head of Libraries and Heritage which invites the Committee to consider a report on Library Needs Assessment which is due to be considered by the Executive on 3 December 2013. The views of the Scrutiny Committee will be reported to the Executive, as part of its consideration of this item) Democratic Services Officer Contact Details Name: Rachel Wilson Direct Dial 01522 552107 E Mail Address [email protected] Please note: for more information about any of the following please contact the Democratic Services Officer responsible for servicing this meeting • Business of the meeting • Any special arrangements • Copies of reports Contact details set out above. All papers for council meetings are available on: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/committeerecords This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 3 Policy and Scrutiny Open Report on behalf of David O'Connor, Executive Director Performance and Governance Report to: Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee Date: 2 December 2013 Subject: Library Needs Assessment KeyDecision decision? Reference: No Summary: This item invites the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee to consider a report on Library Needs Assessment which is due to be considered by the Executive on 3 December 2013. The views of the Scrutiny Committee will be reported to the Executive, as part of its consideration of this item. Actions Required: (1) To consider the attached report and to determine whether the Committee supports the recommendation(s) to the Executive set out in the report. (2) To agree any additional comments to be passed to the Executive in relation to this item. 1. Background The Executive is due to consider the report on the Library Needs Assessment on 3 December 2013. The full report to the Executive is attached at Appendix A to this report. 2. Conclusion Following consideration of the attached report, the Committee is requested to consider whether it supports the recommendations in the report and whether it wishes to make any additional comments to the Executive. The Committee’s views will be reported to the Executive. 3. Consultation a) Policy Proofing Actions Required Not applicable. Page 1 4. Appendices These are listed below and attached at the back of the report Appendix A Executive Decision i005893 Library Needs Assessment, 3.12.13 5. Background Papers No background papers within Section 100D of the Local Government Act 1972 were used in the preparation of this report. This report was written by Jonathan Platt, who can be contacted on 01522 550586 or [email protected]. Page 2 Executive Open Report on behalf of Richard Wills, Executive Director for Communities Report to: Executive Date: 03 December 2013 Subject: Library Needs Assessment Decision Reference: I005893 Key decision? Yes Summary: At its meeting on 2 July 2013, the Executive received a report (“the July Report”) setting out the results of a Library Needs Analysis for Lincolnshire, a proposed revised structure for statutory library provision in the county and proposals for support to be given to communities to provide a network of community libraries. The July Report proposed and the Executive approved a staff consultation and a public consultation on the proposals set out in the July Report for the future shape of library provision in Lincolnshire. This Report informs the Executive of the results of that consultation and asks the Executive to consider the findings of the staff and public consultations and all other relevant factors including legal obligations set out in this Report and to approve a final proposal for the future shape of library provision in Lincolnshire. Recommendation(s): That the Executive approve:- 1. the model of library provision in Lincolnshire described in section 6 of the Report as the library service to be delivered by the Council in exercise of its duty under section 7 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for people who wish to use it. 2. the delivery of support for communities of 550 households or more not served by a Tier 1 or Tier 2 library (as defined in section 6 of the Report) to access library stock on a regular basis consisting of (i) a package of support for communities to develop and run community hubs; or (ii) a mobile library stop described in and on the basis of the criteria as set out in section 8 and Appendix 10 of the Report. Page 3 3. the delivery to communities of less than 550 households not served by a Tier 1 or 2 library (as defined in section 6 of the Report) of a mobile library stop as described and on the basis of the criteria set out in section 8 of the Report 4. the delegation to the Executive Director for Communities in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Libraries, Heritage, Culture, Registration and Coroners of authority to conduct all processes (including employment processes), take all decisions, and enter into all documentation necessary to give effect to the above decisions. Alternatives Considered: 1 Not to make any change to library provision This proposal is not recommended because it would mean that whilst a more-than comprehensive library system would be maintained it would also remain financially inefficient. Library services are not immune to contributing to the savings required to be made by the Council as a whole and to maintain the existing system would not in the officers' view be the best means to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service as required by the Council’s duty under section 7 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. 2. Adopt an alternative proposal for reshaping the library service in Lincolnshire by retaining all existing static libraries, reducing opening hours at all static and mobile libraries and introducing charges for the use of People’s Network computers. The principle of spreading library services more thinly across a greater number of sites was raised within both the staff and the public consultations and was the subject of a detailed alternative proposal submitted by a member of the public through the public consultation. That detailed proposal has been carefully considered and is dealt with in more detail in paragraphs 4.3.74 and 4.3.75 of this Report. This proposal is not recommended as it would retain an overly comprehensive library system which would be even more financially inefficient, with library buildings being open for fewer hours than at present, and a new barrier to access being introduced in the form of a general charge for computer use. Library services are not immune to contributing to the savings required to be made by the Council as a whole and to maintain the existing library network with fewer hours and new charges would not in officers' view best provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. Page 4 3 Appoint a third party to operate some or all of the library service in Lincolnshire. Again this was a proposal that emerged from the consultation in the form of two service-wide expressions of interest which promise to retain an overly comprehensive static library system and increase static library opening hours at the expense of rural mobile library provision. More detail of these specific proposals are set out in paragraphs 4.3.76 to 4.3.82 of the Report. More generally however the alternative proposal would be effectively to outsource the delivery of library services to a third party. It is not recommended for the following reasons (i) Due to the value of the contract which would be required, a competitive procurement exercise would be needed in order to comply with European Union Treaty obligations in relation to the award of public service contracts. This would take at least six months to complete and longer than that to implement, is not certain to deliver a comprehensive or efficient library service and would delay the achievement of savings by at least a year; (ii) The proposal would not deliver the kind of community hubs or community development that form a key part of the recommended proposals; and (iii) The proposals would not continue to provide mobile library provision that is highly valued by those that receive it as evidenced by the consultation responses. Reasons for Recommendation: The Council has a statutory obligation to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make us of it. The Council must, however, provide this service in a financial context of severe austerity and falling Council resources. Analysis of the existing service has established that whilst it is comprehensive it is inefficient. A restructuring of the service as set out in this Report can be achieved which would continue to provide a comprehensive service, but more efficiently, saving £1.734m.