Issue - decisions

Further to the representations made under Minute No. 21 above and Minute No. 4 of the meeting held on 23 May 2013, the Cabinet then considered the report of the Director of Older People which provided details of the Officers’ assessment of the alternative proposals submitted by four community groups to run library services in locations where closure had previously been agreed by the Council, based on the assessment criteria for evaluating community proposals, approved by the Cabinet Member - Children’s, Schools, Families and Leisure.

The report was arranged in a number of sections and annexes as indicated below:

The Chair enquired about the additional information sought from community groups during the assessment of their proposals. The Head of Health and Wellbeing indicated that on 29 May 2013, officers had sought further information from the ABC Group and the Birkdale Library Action Group on a number of issues in relation to their proposals e.g. What would be the difference in roles and responsibilities of volunteers and paid staff? No responses had been received until the publication of the report when the ABC group provided further information. The response received did not affect the outcome of the assessment process.

The Chair reiterated the view that all proposals had to be feasible and sustainable, meaning that the proposals would not have recourse to funds from the Council in the medium and long term.

He expressed concern that some of the proposals submitted by community groups, assumed that the Council would continue to provide revenue support for staffing costs and equipment, although the Council had previouly agreed that an illustrative saving of £400k had to be saved on the Library Service during the period of 2013/14 to 2014/15. He also indicated that the Council would have to produce and agree further budget savings options for 2015/16 and onwards, following the recent statements by the Governement regarding reductions in public expenditure, the impact of which would need to be assessed in due course.

Both the Chair and Councillor Moncur commented that the representations made under Minute No. 21 about the amount of floor space to be made available for library use at the Birkdale Library Building were a matter for discussion between the Seton CVS and the Birkdale Library Action Group when they hold a further meeting on 19 July 2013 and the Council would not be able to place any pre-conditions on the proposals submitted by the Sefton CVS.

The Chair commented that Officers would continue to consider any new proposals from community groups/organisations that may come forward, provided that any such proposals come forward at least two months before the proposed date of closure of the library in question. He also indicated the Officers were currently assessing the nomination under the Community Right to Bid provisions of the Localism Act 2011 in respect of the Carnegie Library, Crosby.

Decision Made:

That :

(1)       the Officers’ assessment of the Community proposals at the first gateway be approved, and the proposals submitted by the ABC Group and Birkdale Library Action Group be rejected;

(2)       the Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) and Aintree Library Action Group proposals pass the first gateway and Officers be authorised to carry out an in depth assessment of those proposals;

(3)       any future decisions relating to the Sefton CVS and Aintree Library Action Group proposals be delegated to the Cabinet Member - Children’s, Schools, Families and Leisure;

(4)       the consideration of any new proposals that may come forward be delegated to the Cabinet Member - Children’s, Schools, Families and Leisure, provided that such new proposals come forward at least two months before the proposed date of closure of the library in question;

(5)       the receipt of a nomination under the Community Right to Bid provisions of the Localism Act 2011 in respect of the Carnegie Library, Crosby be noted; and 

(6)       community groups/organisations be thanked for their efforts in submitting community proposals for the libraries and that the hard work and commitment made by them be recognised.

Reasons for Decision:

To determine the Community proposals for the provision of alternative library services.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The Council at its meeting on 28 February 2013 stated that it would consider proposals from Community groups/organisations to run alternative library services subject to them being sustainable and feasible. The report set out the community proposals received to date, and the Officers’ assessment of their viability.