Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Culture & Regeneration, Councillor Oliver Lewis

Officer: Interim Executive Director Place, Sarah Hayward

Key decision: yes

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To commence the second phase of public consultation on proposed changes to the Libraries service from the following options:

·                 Reduce service hours by 21% across the borough

·                 Outsource all libraries

·                 Hybrid – reduction in service hours (two days per week) to eight libraries and five community run libraries

The Cabinet Member for Culture & Regeneration (Councillor Oliver Lewis) noted that the last year had been a difficult time for Croydon and its libraries but stated that throughout that time the council had listened to residents and had tried to prevent library closures. To that end, the Cabinet Member was pleased to announce that the option to close libraries had been removed and that the report set out investment of £1.8 million of Community Infrastructure Levy monies in libraries, including a new library in South Norwood and investment in the libraries which were part the focus on the consultation.

Phase Two of the consultation included options of 21% reduction in hours across the service, an outsourcing model and a hybrid model. The full details on the options were set out in the report which asked Cabinet for approval to move to the next phase of the consultation.

It was highlighted by the Cabinet Member that a resident of Shirley, Andy Bebbington, had raised that the table within the appendix included the population of the ward the library was located but that libraries provided a service to more than one ward. Furthermore clarity was provided by the Cabinet Member that the £500,000 savings were required within 2022/23 financial year and not 2021/22, as set out in the report.

The Interim Executive Director Place (Sarah Hayward) highlighted that a huge amount of work had been undertaken by officers and residents to bring forward a report to go to the next phase of consultation.

It was noted by the Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety & Business Recovery (Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed) that the report evidenced that the council had actively engaged with residents despite a period of national lockdown. It was highlighted that outsourcing the service would achieve the required savings, but not during the current financial year and questions were asked as to the implications of the options. Further questions were asked about community run libraries as it was noted that the feedback from residents of Broad Green was that the library was well used by the BAME community.

In response, the Cabinet Member for Culture & Regeneration stated that should the council proceed with outsourcing the services through a partnership agreement then the full revenue savings would be achieved. In terms of community engagement, the Cabinet Member stressed that he hoped that the council could work closely with the communities in the borough; regardless of the final option agreed upon as it was recognised that there was a great amount of value of involving residents in the library service it was hoped that better outcomes for residents could be achieved.

It was noted by the Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal (Councillor Stuart King) that the report set out that the preferred option, in terms of outsourcing, was a social enterprise or charitable organisation but sought clarification that commercial enterprises would be entitled to participate in the procurement process. Furthermore, the Cabinet Member raised concerns that the country was still operating under Covid-19 restrictions and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71