Decision details

Adoption of a three-year Libraries, Registration and Archives Strategy.

Background

A new draft three-year strategy has been developed for the Libraries, Registration and Archive (LRA) service.

The Libraries, Registration and Archives Service (LRA) is a statutory and highly valued public service delivered through a network of 99 libraries, 5 Register Offices; 5 mobile libraries; an archive centre; the stock distribution and support function building at Quarrywood; the information service - ‘Ask a Kent Librarian’ - as well as the 24-hour accessible online services.

Kent County Council along with all local authorities is facing a period of unprecedented financial pressure which demands continued and sustained innovation, change and focus on positive outcomes from all services.

Alongside these financial pressures, LRA has evolved its services and now needs to continue to respond to significant changes in demography, spatial geography, how people want to access services and their expectations of those services, technology and varying levels of IT literacy. 

The draft strategy proposes how LRA will create an evolving and sustainable LRA service for the future including proposals for a new Library tiering model and revised opening hours

The full financial, legal and equalities implications will be detailed in the decision paper.

As Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, I agree to adopt the 3 year strategy for Libraries, Registration and Archives and implement the proposal to tier libraries and introduce a new opening hours model across the county.  Specifically to:

A) Adopt the 3 year LRA strategy subject to changes being included as outlined in this report

B) Implement the library tiering model and progress to local engagement about the opening hour patterns for each library

C) Delegate the decision on the exact opening hours for each library to the Libraries, Registration & Archives Head of Service in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory services

D) Agree to the review of the tiering model on a 2-year cycle – with a report to this committee on any changes proposed.