Agenda item

9.1 Libraries Registration and Archives half-year performance update against the service specification 2017-2018

To comment and note the progress LRA has made to date in 2017-18

9.2 Proposed Changes to Opening hours of the Archive Search Room at Kent History and Library Centre

To discuss and consider the details of the report and endorse the recommendation to progress to public consultation on the proposed changes to the opening hours of the Archive search room.

9.3 Developer Contributions and Kent’s Library Service

This report explains the background to developer contributions, how contributions are calculated and collected for the Council and how these are then used by the library service.

Libraries, Registration and Archives (LRA) half-year performance update against the service specification 2017-2018.

(Item 9.1)

James Pearson (Head of Service Libraries, Registration and Archives) and Barbara Bragg (Strategic Manager, Specialist & Support Services for Libraries, Registration and Archive) were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr M Hill, OBE (Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services) introduced the report which outlined the Libraries, Registration and Archives (LRA) half-year performance against its outcome based specification for 2017-2018.

2.     As a supplement to this, Mr Pearson said that LRA would continue to develop and refine its approach to outcome evaluation and monitor performance against the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). In terms of the financial developments made for 2017-2018, work had progressed with the new LRA ‘Ambitions’ which included customer and non-customer focus groups as well as a Member Working Group. Mr Pearson said the draft ‘Ambition’ statement would be shared at the Cabinet Committee in March 2018. Furthermore, in regard to the digitisation of archived services, a contract had been agreed with ‘Find my Past’ and a new digital den project had been launched by the ARTS council with the aim of attracting young persons from across Kent who wanted to develop skills in coding and programming. Mr Pearson said the LRA had achieved and maintained the Customer Service Excellence award for 8 consecutive years. Finally, in terms of activity, weddings throughout the summer period had increased by over 4% compared to 2016 and the Summer Reading Challenge increased by 2%.

3.     In response to comments and questions, the officers provided the following information:

a.    Mr Pearson confirmed that progress had been made on the proposals for a refurbishment of Ashford library and as soon as the infrastructure was agreed, Kent County Council (KCC) would accelerate its delivery.

b.    In response to concerns regarding the accessibility, Mr Pearson assured the committee that the ‘Ambitions’ report that would be presented in March fully reinforced KCC’s commitment to inclusion.

c.    Mr Pearson welcomed comments from the Member Working Group and said that discussions were underway with the Turner Contemporary to look at how LRA services and venues could be fully utilised across the county and how Visit Kent could be incorporated within Kent’s libraries to attract the tourism market.

4.    RESOLVED that the committee note the progress that LRA has made to date in 2017-2018.

Proposed Changes to Opening hours of the Archive Search Room at Kent History and Library Centre

(Item 9.2)

James Pearson (Head of Service Libraries, Registration and Archives) was in attendance for this item.

1.     Mr M Hill, OBE (Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services) introduced the report which set out proposed changes to the opening times for the archive search room, subject to the outcome of public consultation.

2.     Mr Pearson explained to the Committee that Libraries, Registration and Archives (LRA) reviewed its services regularly to ensure they continued to meet customer demand. The proposal to reduce the Archive Search Room opening times would potentially deliver a £10k saving towards the LRA’s Medium Term Financial Plan targets for 2018-2019 and this would be achieved by a reduction in staffing (0.5fte) for which vacancies were being held.

3.     RESOLVED that the committee note the report and endorse the recommendation to progress to public consultation on the proposed changes to the opening hours of the Archive Search Room.

Developer Contributions and Kent’s Library Service

(Item 9.3)

James Pearson (Head of Service Libraries, Registration and Archives), Nick Abrahams (Strategic Programme Manager, Infrastructure) and Jackie Taylor Smith (Strategic Manager Business Development Libraries, Registration & Archives) were in attendance for this item.

1.  Mr M Hill, OBE (Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services) introduced the report which explained s106 developer contributions, how these were calculated and collected for the Council to use and their importance for the library service.

2.  Mr Abrahams advised the committee that s106 agreements were commonly used to secure financial contributions from developers to provide the infrastructure needed to of additional demand caused through new housing developments. He highlighted how the impact of development was calculated for libraries, the Council’s success in securing £9.8m in library contributions from 2006-2017, the challenges presented in securing developer contributions and how these had been key to delivering the modernisation and co-location of libraries throughout Kent.

3.  Ms Taylor said that the use of s106 funding had been key to service modernisation and increasing the capacity of its service points. It had also had a significant impact on the Good Day Programme facility that had been launched in autumn 2016. Other projects had included Herne Bay, Tonbridge Wells, Southborough and Faversham.

4.  In response to questions and comments, the officers provided the following information:

a.  In regard to the planning application figures within the report, Mr Abraham confirmed that the figures were an average of those received from 2012-2017. He noted Members suggestions that the report should clarify that these were valid applications.

b.  In response to whether s106 contributions could be used to enhance digitisation of services, Mr Abraham said that expansions of facilities required the supporting infrastructure and if digitisation of services was part of the expansion Kent County Council could apply s106 contributions to support this.

c.   Mr Pearson said that a short to medium term strategy had been put in place for Sittingbourne library whilst developer funding was being sought. If additional s106 contributions became available, LRA services would review how to utilise this within that interim period.

5.  RESOLVED that the committee note the details of the report.