The relevant minutes about libraries at the 1^st December meeting

The minutes from section the 1^st December 2011 Chairs of Constituency committee meeting which dealt with the future of the Constituency libraries is below. I have removed the name of officers and Councillors other than Cllr Kennedy – plus I have edited out a paragraph about Alexander Stadium.

1 December 2011

The notes of the last meeting held on 20 October 2011 were agreed.

Item 7: Library Services – Councillor Tony Kennedy advised that he would
wish to see a more nuance assessment of library usage across the City
balanced against the needs of different communities.

Constituencies Service Reviews

a) Briefing on consultation requirements, EIA and governance processes

b) Update on future Operating Models and progress to date

Ms [name removed] stated that 5a and 5b should be considered together.

She stated that the model had been adopted as the scale of the financial
target had been for £21 million of savings, whilst maintaining services,
albeit with a changed configuration. She stated that the key processes were
detailed within the report but that this led to the average lead in time to
achieve the changes to be 6 months. She stated that the Reviews had been
started in mid-May and that certain areas were now nearing completion, to
include Community Libraries; Community Development; and Community play
Services.

She detailed the processes followed and the advise received from Legal
Services, contained within the report and advised that the Constituency
Chairmen were asked to

- Note the consultation requirements and decision making
processes that need to be followed before the service reviews
can be implemented;

- Endorse the refined CSR Future Operating Models as a means of
achieving the target budget reductions 2011-2014; and

- Support the implementation of the Future Operating Models in
individual Constituencies as and when formal decisions are
reached.

Councillor Tony Kennedy stated that it was difficult to endorse the Future
Operating Models when they had not been established. Ms Branch advised that
there were detailed proposals within the packs.

Councillor [name removed] stated that the ten Constituencies had adopted a
collective approach, otherwise the burden of the savings would have fallen
on each individual Constituency. Councillor Tony Kennedy accepted these
comments.

The Chairman asked for an indication of the timescales.

Mr Jones stated that if Members stated that there was a need for a firm
decision this side of Christmas and stated that the Chairmen could advise
the Interim Constituency Lead Managers of their views.

Councillor [name removed] stated that if there was any more then the situation
would become worse.

[paragraph about Alexander Stadium removed]

The Chairman expressed concern that the views of the Chairman that had
given their apologies were not in attendance could not be gauged.

Ms Elkington advised that her Directorate was being asked to deliver an
additional £6.8 million savings, which she had agreed Constituencies not be
asked to deliver. However she stated that not to approve the approach in
front of Constituency Chairmen would create difficulties with Cabinet
Member for her Directorate.

The Chairman asked that the Chairmen who were not in attendance be advised
of the approach to be taken.

Following these comments, the Constituency Chairmen who are agreed to:-

- Note the consultation requirements and decision making
processes that need to be followed before the service reviews
can be implemented;

- Endorse the refined CSR Future Operating Models as a means of
achieving the target budget reductions 2011-2014; and

- Support the implementation of the Future Operating Models in
individual Constituencies as and when formal decisions are
reached.