Agenda item

To receive a report by the Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport that outlines the proposed approach for internally commissioning Libraries, Registration and Archives

1.            The Cabinet Member for Community Services, Mr Hill, introduced the report that outlined the approach for internally commissioning Libraries, Registration and Archives (LRA) against outcomes which it was proposed commenced from 1 April 2016 and the issues yet to be resolved.  He highlighted that £1.3m saving was still required.  This saving was going to be achieved through internal commissioning although remain internal.  A meeting was held with the Commission Board and it was concluded for this to work there had to be freedoms and flexibility develop.

2.            The Head of Services, Libraries, Registration and Archives, Mr Stephens, advised that the proposal was for an internally commissioned LRA.  The approach had been supported by the corporate team to ensure they align with the KCC commissioning approach.  The approach considered the necessary freedoms and also tested the principles of the LRA itself.  He referred the Committee to page 87 of the report which set out a diagram of the commissioning cycle.  The proposed service specification had been reviewed by the LRA service management team and the Commissioning Advisory Board.  The commissioning approach would be review annually and an annual report would be submitted to this Cabinet Committee.

3.            Mr Hill,  Mr Stephens and Mr Pearson responded to questions by Members as follows:

a)     Mr Hill advised that the primary legislation did not allow the Registration service element to be delivered through an external Trust, and this could take a long time.   This proposal would ensure that the service was Trust ready.

b)    Mr Hill explained that there were to be discussions held with Human Resources and Property regarding the services to be offered in house.

c)    Mr Hill agreed with the suggestion for representatives from a user group or readers to be invited to sit on the Strategic Board.

d)    Mr Hill assured Members that Libraries would continue to be called Libraries and would not be changed to “information hubs”, he was determined to protect the library service and to improve the service.

e)    It was suggested that the Cabinet Member should not sit on the Strategic Board championing.  There was a need for critical friends to be on the Board.

f)     A suggestion was made that there appeared to be a constraint  on new collections in the Archives section this could be supported with  representation from the University of Kent, Canterbury on the Strategic Board.

g)    Mr Stephens advised that there were 99 libraries in Kent where customers could register births and deaths in 98 of them. 

h)   The use of the community space within libraries needed to be explored, as being entrepreneurial would be a cultural change.

i)     There was a Staff Engagement Group.   Mr Stephens had been impresses in the way that staff had come forward with ideas, including cafes and pop up shops, to bring new users of the service. He concluded that there was a need to understand customers and non customers and how to engage them.

4.            RESOLVED that:-

a)     the comments and responses to questions by Members be noted;

b)     the representation on the Strategic Board be expanded to include users or readers, critical friends and representation from the University of Kent as suggested by Members of the Cabinet Committee be agreed; and

c)      the Growth, Environment Development and Communities Cabinet Committee endorsed the service specification for LRA; the commissioning approach outlined in the report; and other issues associated with delivering the internal commissioned approach.