Agenda Item 8

Page 33 Agenda Item 8 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL - 5.12.2007 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2007 COUNCILLORS PRESENT Edward Smith, Chris Bond, Annette Dreblow, Norman Ford, George Savva MBE, Terence Smith, Yasemin Brett and Geoffrey Robinson ABSENT Christopher Andrew OFFICERS: Peter Lewis (Director of Education, Children’s Services and Leisure), Gary Barnes (Assistant Director of Environment, Street Scene and Parks (Contracts)), Julie Gibson (Head of Libraries and Museums), Madeline Barratt (Libraries Strategy and Performance Manager), Mike Ahuja (Head of Corporate Scrutiny Services), Matt Clack (Scrutiny and Improvement Officer),Penelope Williams (Secretary) Also Attending: Councillor Paul McCannah, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Olympics and 25 members of the public. 620 WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Councillor Chris Andrew and John Pryor (Director of Environment, Street Scene and Parks) sent their apologies for absence. 621 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS There were no declarations of interest. 622 LIBRARY STRATEGY 1. Library Strategy Councillor McCannah, Lead Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Olympics, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Enfield Library Service review highlighting some of the key issues in the strategy. Copies of the presentation slides are available on the Council’s website or from the Scrutiny Secretary. 2. Questions/Issues raised in response to the presentation on the - 513 - Page 34 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL - 5.12.2007 library strategy as a whole The first part of the discussion took place about the general direction of the library strategy as a whole. 2.1 Timing of consideration of the library strategy 2.1.1 Councillor Michael Rye, the Leader of the Council had decided that the strategy should be discussed by Cabinet before Christmas which gave little time to arrange a separate scrutiny panel meeting. 2.1.2 However the timing of the issue had not been influenced by the recent call-in of the decision to restructure the library service, a decision made in response to the need to make savings in the Council’s 2008/9 budget. This call-in was due to be considered on the following evening at a special Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting (6.12.07). 2.1.3 The library strategy was a long term, document which set out proposals for the future of the library service over the next five years. 2.2 Computer Use in Libraries 2.2.1 Some felt that the strategy had not paid enough attention to computer use in libraries; but officers responded that computers were an important part of the strategy and one of the problems was that there was often not enough space to include more, to keep pace with demand. 2.2.2 However there were plans to increase WiFi access which was currently available at Oakwood and Palmers Green. 2. 3 Library Footfall 2.3.1 There was some concern that the footfall (the number of people entering the library), information on the age profile, ethnicity and types of users for each library had not been included with the strategy documents. 2.3.2 Footfall and borrowing rates do not always correspond. 2.4 Oakwood Library Relocation 2.4.1 The successful relocation of Oakwood Library was discussed. New users, defined as those who had never joined a library before, had increased by 703% in the first year of operation. All, except one, of the former Merryhills library users, had moved with the new library. 2.5 Relocation of Local History Unit - 514 - Page 35 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL - 5.12.2007 2.5.1 Concern was expressed, and two letters received and circulated to members, from the presidents of the Enfield Society and the Edmonton Hundred Historical Society about the proposals to move the local history collection from Palmers Green to the new Thomas Hardy House in Enfield Town. There were particular worries that things could be damaged or go astray 2.5.2 Members were assured that the move would be carried out by professionals, experts in the field of handling and moving valuable, precious, historical objects and documents. New shelving would be provided by a specialist supplier. 2.5.3 The new facilities for the history collection at Thomas Hardy House would include a 100m2 search room (in comparison to the 46m2 room at Palmers Green) and a 100m2 climate controlled store. A timeline museum will also have additional space of its own and in 2010 100m2 additional space will be available for genealogical studies. 2.5.4 The move of the local history collection and the temporary move of Enfield Town library would both take place early in the new-year. The exact date had not yet been agreed, but would be after handover of the building on 21 January 2008. Members were assured that the Enfield Town Library would be moved back to the Carnegie Library in 2010. 2.5.5 The prospect of more space and better facilities for the local history unit was welcomed but some members of the public felt that there was also a need for greater access to the service; longer opening hours and more staff. They thought that since 1999 the service had been provided on a shoe string and when the unit moved to the new buildings it would need more staff in order to offer an adequate service. 2.5.6 Members were assured that there would be no reduction in existing provision and that with more efficient use of the existing staff and the savings envisaged from co-location; joining together of facilities; a better service could be provided. 2.5.7 Julie Gibson offered to put anyone, concerned about the history unit move, in touch with the officer organising it, to reassure them about the arrangements. 2.6 Money from sale of library buildings 2.6.1 Members were concerned that any money made from selling any of the library buildings would be ring-fenced to the library service. 2.6.2 Councillor McCannah advised the panel that the net capital expenditure at Oakwood had been greater than the capital receipts from the sale of the old library and that they were intending to create a brand new library facility on the Enfield Island site. - 515 - Page 36 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL - 5.12.2007 2.6.3 Councillor Edward Smith added that the main purpose of the strategy was to improve and increase the use of the libraries and not to generate income for the Council by selling off library sites. 2.7 Partnerships with other services 2.7.1 There was some concern about the possibility of proposals to link libraries to the provision of other services particularly those in the commercial sector. The example of the Enfield Town Post Office, which had recently been taken over by the supermarket Budgens was mentioned as an unpopular precedent. 2.7.2 A partnership was already established at Enfield Highway with the Connexions Service and others were being considered with the Citizens Advice Bureau and other community advice providers. 2.7.3 As part of the library consultation, support had been expressed for the idea of providing cafés in some libraries. Councillor McCannah said that he would welcome a link with Starbucks, as an example. 2.7.4 All refurbished libraries would have toilets. 2.8 Children and the Library Service 2.8.1 A member of the public expressed the view that children should read more and spend less time on computers. 2.8.2 Homework Centres for school age children were provided in many libraries. IT facilities were an important tool for research. 2.8.3 Over 3000 children had taken part in last year’s “Summer Reading Challenge” run by the library service to encourage reading. A “Super Library Challenge” was also organised which reached thousands of children in schools. The “Summer Reading Challenge” had been running for many years but perhaps needed to be better promoted so that people were more aware of it. 2.9 Availability of reference books 2.9.1 The library service were looking closely at the way reference books were distributed across the borough as many were not used or there was often duplication. They were in the process of reviewing what stock to provide where. 2.10 Accessibility of the library service to people from other cultures 2.10.1 There was concern about the difficulties people from other cultures may have in accessing the library service. In order to access the service users needed to have knowledge of English and of the way the library system operates. - 516 - Page 37 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & LEISURE SCRUTINY PANEL - 5.12.2007 2.10.2 Staff, in libraries, already provide a service introducing new users to the services on offer and explaining the way that the library works, but this could be better advertised. 2.10.3 The library service had a wide range of stock in other languages, employed a variety of other language speakers and had recently appointed a Polish speaker. 3. Questions/Issues raised in response to the presentation on the Proposals for individual libraries The second part of the discussion took place about the proposals for individual libraries. 3.1 Edmonton Green Library 3.1.1 Edmonton Green was one of the most popular and best used libraries in the borough. Proposals here involve remodelling the front of the library and providing a new customer access centre to serve, not only the library, but other council offices in the building. The access point would serve as a neighbourhood office giving access to council services, including payment of council tax, benefit claims etc.

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