Contact: Team Leader / Project Manager, Anne Marley 01962 846084

Best Value Review: Hampshire School Library Service - December 2001

Executive Summary

Main Findings

· The broad conclusions are that the Hampshire School Library Service shows very high levels of client satisfaction, a high level of comparative cost effectiveness and substantial progress towards achieving service objectives.

· Overall, 98.5% of schools buy back into the service, compared with 83% for the OfSTED statistical neighbours.

· In consultation with schools, 100% of primary school representatives at Focus Groups, 92% of secondary school managers and 100% of special schools said that the service would be missed if it did not exist.

Areas for improvement

Areas for improvement are contained in the detailed Action Plan; cost implications

and efficiency savings are also indicated.

Recommendations

· That the School Library Service continues to be provided from within the Local Education Authority.

· That the Action Plan be approved by Committee.

· The Service Review Team unanimously recommends that: `Option 4 of the Option Report be approved by Committee, which is that the School Library Service continues to provide the service, with improved standards and with additional finance for resource provision for literacy across the curriculum, which will bring the School Library Service up to the level of the county average of resources per capita, based on comparisons in the LISU (Loughborough University Information & Statistical Unit) statistics on resource spending, amounting to a growth bid of £27,000 per annum.'

This money would be delegated to schools and reflected through a matching increase

in the subscription charge.

Outcomes

1. To improve resources provision to schools

2. To improve service to Special Schools and children with learning difficulties in mainstream schools

3. To improve SLS communication both internally and externally

4. To improve SLS staff knowledge of service provided

5. To improve aspects of purchasing facilities

Cost of Best Value Review

In terms of time, the Review took a total of 91 working days of School Library Service staff time, which equates to approximately £25,116. External team members made no charge for their time.