Report to: THE EXECUTIVE Date: 12 October 2011 Report of: DIRECTOR OF ADULT AND Report No: COMMUNITY SERVICES Contact Officer: Stephanie Crossley Tele No: 7204 Assistant Director, Culture and Community Services Report Title: A new model for Bolton Library Service: consultation results and implementation of a new service model Non Confidential: This report does not contain information which warrants its consideration in the absence of the press or members of the public Recommendations: 1 The Executive is asked to confirm the methodology used by the Council, notwithstanding the point raised at 9.3.2., because it has used a range of factors, including: This review is about ‘comprehensive and efficient’ for the whole of Bolton; Deprivation is recognised in the viability ranking within the existing methodology; Available evidence in relation to the 1964 Act highlights accessibility as being critical to a duty of ‘comprehensive and efficient’ (the Wirral judgement). As a result of the above, the proposed reconfigured network, including the proposed mitigation, is, the Council believes, the ‘best fit’ for the Council’s statutory duties. 2 The Executive is asked to agree the adoption of Option 1 as the model for the new library network. 3 The Executive is asked to agree to the start of work to decommission the libraries to be closed and the development of neighbourhood collections and other mitigating services. Decision: Signed: Leader / Executive Member Monitoring Officer Date: SUMMARY OF REPORT: Under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act the Council is obliged to provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient service’ for all individuals who live, work or study within the borough and who are ‘desirous’ of using the service. Bolton Council currently delivers this through 15 public library service points across the borough. The Library Review began in February 2011 with two periods of public and stakeholder consultation over a 19 week period in all: the first on three propositions, the second on the Council’s preferred option (1) for the future network as detailed in the Executive Report of 28th July 2011. The second consultation was a repeat of the open consultation methodology used from February to May with a random sample survey of residents within the borough of Bolton. This quantitative approach was used so that the results could be generalised to the population using confidence intervals, so that we could say that we are certain (within defined and proven parameters) that the results are representative of the whole borough of Bolton. This report gives a detailed analysis of the results of all consultation, and the Council’s response and proposed mitigation to minimise impact. The Council acknowledges there will be some adverse impact arising from the adoption of the recommendations. The decision to review the library service in Bolton has generated strong opposition in some quarters. Although this is understandable and is not the course of action the Council would choose to take if controllable resources were not reducing by 25%, the proposal is nevertheless reasonable in this context. This is on the basis that the proposal is compatible with the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act and in the context of the Council’s own philosophy for delivering savings, especially prioritising services for the most vulnerable children and adults. Although, understandably, those who oppose library closures have garnered considerable publicity and support, especially from those most affected, it is clearly the case from the statistically reliable random sample that around two-thirds of the Borough’s population would support the Council’s proposal. Whilst recognising the considerable vocal opposition and admirable democratic protest, the Council should feel confident that the majority of the Borough’s residents acknowledge the appropriateness of the proposals. In assessing the overall position, the feedback from consultation and the concerns expressed, it is fair to identify the following as the crucial issues: There are concerns about the ‘community impact’ of the loss of the library building There is a detriment of distance travelled for some people if a library is closed There are concerns that this will impact on education and learning, especially for children The needs of elderly and disabled people are key and they may find the extra distance or cost problematic. The Council understands these concerns but believes through a range of measures that the impact can be mitigated. Obviously the loss of five libraries in their current form is not ideal, but in the context of the financial position the Council believes that the mitigation measures make this tolerable. In conclusion, the Council feels that Option 1 is a proposal that, on balance, meets both the spirit and letter of the 1964 Public Libraries Act. It is a proposal that does result in some detriment, especially in respect of increased distance travelled for some users. The Council is confident, therefore, that the extensive mitigation measures and quality of the remaining service still represents a very good service for the Borough as a whole, given the overall financial constraints and the policy objective of protecting the most vulnerable children and adults and achieving a greater proportion of savings from universal services. The adoption of Option 1 gives us, we believe, a basis for continuing to deliver quality services as well as leaving the service ready to grow again when the economic conditions improve. This review must also deliver a platform for digital content, to continue and grow to meet the government and local agendas for online services and the huge impact that the internet will continue to exert in information delivery. The Council has responded to public concern and responses to the consultation, specifically about the library as the hub of a community, by retaining Heaton Library building to operate as a joint neighbourhood collection and Children’s Centre, and in Astley Bridge, in responding to Members’ concerns about deprivation, by recommending that Oldhams Children’s Centre hosts the neighbourhood collection for that area. Finally, the Council has tried to incorporate as much as it can from the learning in the Future Libraries Programme Phase 1 report, published in August. The report’s emphasis on strategic, political and managerial leadership around the change process has been demonstrated in Bolton by the commitment of both the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to ensuring the process of arriving at options has been led and managed at the highest level. BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: Executive Members for Adult Services and HR, OD and Diversity report 23 February 2011: Review of Bolton Library Network and Executive Report 28 July 2011 A review of public library provision in Bolton Future Libraries: change, options and how to get there: learning from the Future Libraries Programme Phase 1; MLA, August 2011 CONTENTS Page No. 1 Background and Context 1 2 Background to the service 3 3 Developing Service Options: Summary of the first consultation 4 4 The 3 options presented in the July Report 4 5 Stage 2 consultation findings and summary 5 6 Responses to the ‘open’ survey 15 7 Summary of consultation response (from questionnaires) 23 8 Consultation responses in addition to the questionnaire 24 9 Issues raised regarding the consultation process 25 10 Distance 26 11 Alternatives to option 1 emerging from the consultation 28 12 Mitigation 28 13 Overall analysis and conclusions 30 14 Financial Implications 33 15 HR Implications 33 16 Equality Impact Assessment 33 17 Recommendations 34 1 BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 1.1 In a report to the Executive of 24 January 2011 on Budget 2011/12 and 2012/13 – Revenue Support Grant Settlement, the Director of Corporate Resources highlighted the current budget gap for the Council over the next 2 years of over £63M in savings. In addition a further £36m of savings has been identified across 13/14 and 14/15. This is significantly higher than any savings target that the Council has faced previously and will need to be delivered within a short space of time. However, the Council has formally agreed an approach to savings and spending priorities which is based upon the Council’s overall priorities and objectives alongside the legal requirement to set a balanced budget and meet statutory duties. This is laid out in more detail in the Director of Corporate Resources’ report of the 22nd November 2010, at Appendix A. This report acknowledges the importance of mitigation with respect to the impact of the savings required on local people and services. Within this budgetary process the Library Service cannot be exempt from the need to find savings. A summary of the cross Council savings for 11/12 and 12/13 sets the context and can be seen at Appendix B. 1.2 As a result of this budget pressure, work planned for a comprehensive review of the library network and its sustainability was brought forward, with a view, depending on the outcome of consultation, of delivering savings within 11/12 by redesigning the library network, potentially rationalising service points. The aim of the review has been to look at how the reduced budget can be used to deliver a service which is still viable, and sustainable, continuing the scope and quality of delivery outlined below and the service’s ability to deliver the council’s key aims of narrowing the gap and promoting economic prosperity within Bolton. 1.3 Under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act the Council is obliged to provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient service’ for all individuals who live, work or study within the borough and who are ‘desirous’ of using the service. Bolton Council currently delivers this through 15 public library service points across the borough. The service offers a comprehensive range of services over and above the provision of free books and information specified in the ‘64 Act.