Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

That the introduction of alternative arrangements to provide  support to Community Partnered Libraries (CPL) and that the agreement to provide library team attendance for 20% of CPL opening hours be changed, with the resource being redeployed towards the development of volunteering across the library network was agreed.

Reason for Decision:

Due to the maturity of the CPLs and level of knowledge and skills which had developed amongst volunteers, advances in digital technology, a well-established working relationship with the Council and a keenness amongst volunteers to expand what they do on-site to support the needs of residents, the library service was proposing changes in the support model.

The library service has consulted with CPLs about these proposed changes and the CPLs were engaged with taking this proposal forward. Their ideas and concerns had been fed into the redesigned support model.

The proposed changes recommended a decrease in the regular presence that CPL Support Team officers provide on-site at each CPL from weekly to a monthly visit.  Other changes include increased access to the library management system to enable volunteers to provide a fuller service to customers locally without having to contact a member of library staff and direct contact with other parts of the library service and the Council which currently go via the CPL team.

The experience of the CPL Support team in setting up and maintaining support to the CPLs has made them ideally placed to carry out a future programme increasing the amount of volunteering which  already adds value to the library service and to build on that to ensure libraries remain vibrant community destinations and meet the needs of residents. 

The changes will be phased and completed by April 2019.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Adults and Lifelong Learning Select Committee]

The Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning introduced the report that described how as part of the Libraries Public Value Review in 2011, 10 libraries were identified to become Community Partnered Libraries (CPLs). Cabinet had agreed a recommendation that the CPLs would have a dedicated support team and they would receive weekly on-site support from this team based on 20% of their current opening hours at the date of transfer. CPLs had been up and running successfully close to five years. They had become experienced and there was no longer a need for the 20% weekly presence on site of the CPL support team agreed by Cabinet in 2011 when they were set up. The Cabinet were asked to support the proposed redesigned support model for CPLs with reduced on-site presence.  She went on to say that support would still be available for CPLs in the form of monthly visits and the link library.

The Cabinet Member for Adults worked as a volunteer and thanked the CPL for the training provided.  He raised a few issues regarding IT and banking that needed to be worked on.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport said it was a credit to the volunteers that Bagshot Library had not been closed.

RESOLVED:

That the introduction of alternative arrangements to provide  support to Community Partnered Libraries (CPL) and that the agreement to provide library team attendance for 20% of CPL opening hours be changed, with the resource being redeployed towards the development of volunteering across the library network was agreed.

Reason for Decision:

Due to the maturity of the CPLs and level of knowledge and skills which had developed amongst volunteers, advances in digital technology, a well-established working relationship with the Council and a keenness amongst volunteers to expand what they do on-site to support the needs of residents, the library service was proposing changes in the support model.

The library service has consulted with CPLs about these proposed changes and the CPLs were engaged with taking this proposal forward. Their ideas and concerns had been fed into the redesigned support model.

The proposed changes recommended a decrease in the regular presence that CPL Support Team officers provide on-site at each CPL from weekly to a monthly visit.  Other changes include increased access to the library management system to enable volunteers to provide a fuller service to customers locally without having to contact a member of library staff and direct contact with other parts of the library service and the Council which currently go via the CPL team.

The experience of the CPL Support team in setting up and maintaining support to the CPLs has made them ideally placed to carry out a future programme increasing the amount of volunteering which  already adds value to the library service and to build on that to ensure libraries remain vibrant community destinations and meet the needs of residents.

The changes will be phased and completed by April 2019.

Mr Mike Goodman declared non-pecuniary interest in that he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 152