Contact: Jenny Heath, Best Value Project Manager, ext 7402

1 Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this report is to:

· Seek Member approval of the attached outcome report for the service review of the Library Services

· Identify any issues to refer to the Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee

· Seek agreement to the recommendations that should be made to the service committee (Recreation and Heritage Committee)

· Agree outcomes that should be reported in the Best Value Performance Plan.

2 Background

2.1 This review is part of year 1 of the programme of reviews agreed by Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee on 9 December 1999.

2.2 An interim outcome report was presented to this Panel on 11 December 2000, acknowledging that further work was needed to provide greater clarity on some of the improvement options being presented for approval.

2.3 This outcome report, therefore, consists of the following three elements:

· A narrative report outlining the choices which Members can make for service improvements,

· The improvement plan - a table showing key outcomes, performance targets, actions, costs and timescales.

· An update on performance information, including progress with Investors in People (IIP) and the latest information on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) national standards.

2.4 A supplementary report on the management of the library service, including further options for service improvements is dealt with later in the agenda for this meeting.

2.5 Members should consider the outcome report attached within the wider context of the Best Value review programme and services provided by the department, particularly when considering outcomes that may have a financial or operational impact on other services.

3 Challenging the Outcome Report

3.1 Before approving the outcome report for each service review, the Panel must challenge it to ensure that the Best Value process has been rigorously applied. The Panel should consider whether the review has:

· met national and local requirements

· met its objectives as set out in the project brief

· identified all the possible options for service improvement

· considered all the advantages and disadvantages of each option

· identified sufficient evidence to support the recommended option(s)

· addressed the concerns of the community and members

· an action plan that, if implemented, will deliver targeted, measurable and continuous improvement in service delivery

4 Issues to be referred to Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee

4.1 Are there any issues which cut across departmental or organisational boundaries, which would be better reviewed as a whole?

4.2 Are any of the review outcomes significant enough for referral?

4.3 Has the review process identified any learning points, which should be referred?

4.4 Are there any proposed changes to the future review programme?

5 Recommendations to the service committee for implementation

5.1 What recommendations should be made to the service committee for implementation? The Service Committee will be reminded that the Best Value Performance Plan, which is reported both to the public and to auditors will provide a check for monitoring progress against the action plan.

6 Outcomes for inclusion in the Best Value Performance Plan

6.1 What outcomes should be reported in the next Best Value Performance Plan?

7 Information provided to support the report

7.1 Each report should contain sufficient evidence to support its conclusions and recommendations. Further evidence may be held on the review working files which members may inspect on request. Members may identify gaps in the evidence and ask for additional evidence to be provided.

8 Inspection

8.1 The Best Value Inspectorate has included the Library Service in their programme of Inspections of Year 1 reviews. The timetable for this full inspection covers:

Initial Briefing	29 June 2001
Interview with County Librarian	29 June 2001
On site work	9 - 13 July 2001
Interim Challenge (verbal feedback)	23 July 2001

8.2 The Chairman of the Best Value Review Panel will be invited to the Initial Briefing and the Interim Challenge meeting. It is not yet known which, if any, Members or other stakeholders the inspection team would like to interview.

8.3 The review team will report back to the Panel once the outcomes of the inspection are known.

Recommendations

It is recommended that:

1. The outcome report for the Library Service review is approved and the following options recommended for implementation:

· Introduction of free reservation charges for Bee Aware Scheme members

· Extension of payment to all volunteers supporting the housebound reader service

· Consistent approach to public toilet provision implemented in all libraries

· Continuation of the 3 week loan period

· Retention of all income in centrally held budgets

· Implementation of a pilot self-issuing system

2. A summary of the report and improvement plan is referred to the Best Value and Performance Sub-Committee and is reported in the Best Value Performance Plan 2002/03.

3. The following cross-cutting issues which have emerged during the review should be drawn to the attention of the Best Value and Performance Sub-committee to inform its regular review of the five-year programme:

· The links with Information Centres and other information services should be further explored as a county-wide cross-cutting issue, affecting the way in which the community of Hampshire accesses information about all County Council activities and services as well as other information

· The effective and efficient operation of the library service and its ability to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act is affected by the planning and timing of maintenance and improvements to library buildings. This should be taken into account in the County Council's overall programme to meet the requirements of the Act and to comply with its own targets set in the Best Value Performance Plan.

4. The Recreation and Heritage Committee is advised of the progress of the Best Value Review and that the following recommendation is made which may require changes in resources or practices:

· The aims and objectives of the Library Service must be revisited to take account of issues, which have emerged from the review concerning access to services and the range and extent of books and other resources provided as part of the service.

5. Progress against the improvement plan is reviewed by the Recreation and Heritage Committee, acting upon recommendations from the Library Panel.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

Records of the Best Value library service review team meetings and working papers of the Best Value Review, held by the Review Team Leader.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.