BOROUGH OF POOLE CABINET 14 MARCH 2017 A JOINT PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE FOR BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE

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1 BOROUGH OF POOLE AGENDA ITEM 6 CABINET 14 MARCH 2017 A JOINT PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE FOR BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE 1 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT 1.2 To approve an agreement between Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole for the creation of a joint Public Library Service to commence in April The agreement is estimated to provide combined revenue savings in the region of 566,000 by 2019/20, implement a single staffing model across both Councils and create a more sustainable library provision for residents to enable as much continuity for services as possible in the future. The proposal will enable both Councils to continue to meet statutory obligations. 2 DECISIONS REQUIRED 2.1 Cabinet agree to exercise the joint management of both Poole Public Library Service and Bournemouth Public Library Service under a legal agreement which will secure the discharge of this function by Poole under section 101 of the Local Government Act and all other enabling powers. 2.2 Cabinet agree that the Borough of Poole be the lead authority for the new joint service. 2.3 Cabinet approve the appointment of a joint Library Manager as soon as possible and the planned transfer of staff into the lead authority s employment during 2017/18 under the TUPE regulations. 2.4 That authority is delegated to the Head of Culture and Community Learning, Poole and Service Director for Community Learning and Commissioning, Bournemouth, in consultation with the appropriate Portfolio Holders, the Chief Finance Officer and Heads of Legal Services of the two Councils to finalise the terms and conditions of the shared service arrangement. 3 BACKGROUND 3.1 Both Councils have endorsed the principle of reviewing and introducing joint working and shared services where appropriate to support the delivery of each Council s strategic priorities, for increased efficiency, service resilience and improvement which is necessary to meet increasing financial pressures and changes in service requirements. 3.2 Portfolio Holders and Officers from Bournemouth and Poole have worked closely to develop this proposal in the context of local priorities, national policies and good practice.

2 3.3 The implementation of a shared service would necessarily include arrangements to ensure accountability to both local authority partners. Both Councils will agree an annual business plan to define and monitor the service. Bournemouth would performance manage the service delivered by Poole through a client arrangement, Joint Governance Board and regular reports to Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet. The proposal is designed to ensure both Councils remain compliant with legal requirements and government policy priorities. 4 REVIEW CONTEXT - NATIONAL POLICY 4.1 Public libraries in England are a statutory service. Under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act, local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all people working, living or studying full time in the area that want to make use of it. In providing this statutory service, local authorities must, among other things: have regard to encouraging both adults and children to make full use of their library service lend books and other printed material free of charge for those who live, work or study in the area 4.2 Changes to the public service delivery require a prescribed and extensive public consultation process. This report proposes changes to how the service is managed and not to the delivery of the public service and therefore it does not require public consultation. The normal staff consultation under TUPE and Council change management policies will apply. 4.3 There is an extensive body of national work and government policy that shapes, celebrates and confirms the work of public libraries. Current important national policies that have shaped this proposal include: Department of Culture Media & Sport, The Culture White Paper, March 2016 DCMS Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England Dec Libraries deliver ambition 2016-to-2021 DCMS Libraries shaping the future: Good Practice Toolkit April Libraries good practice toolkit The Museums Libraries and Archives Council s What do the public want from libraries report What public want from libraries 5 PRINCIPLES 5.1 The principles used to develop the proposals in this report are: Both Councils continue to meet their statutory obligations for public libraries The service will be designed around local needs and we will strive to improve customer experience wherever possible Back office functions will be made more efficient wherever possible, working towards unified systems, contracts and use of assets We will demonstrate best practice with transparency, trust and equality, open

3 to doing things differently and learning from each other The new arrangements will be flexible to enable further evolution in a changing public sector environment We will value the contribution of a dynamic, highly motivated and well trained team and we will have a minimum of management tiers 6 DETAILS OF PROPOSAL 6.1 The initial saving will be achieved through a proposal for the joint staff structure which is being prepared by officers from both services working with financial services. The service heads advise that the proposal in this report would enable the creation of a shared library service that can deliver considerable savings and service improvements across both councils without reducing the existing statutory library service. 6.2 The final staffing model for implementation would need to be defined through consultation and engagement with staff and trades unions. At the time of writing, Bournemouth employs full time equivalent (FTE) and Poole FTE. 6.3 Current staffing structures and staff levels are different in each Council with variations in numbers of staff and management tiers resulting in significant variation of cost. The aim is to achieve a consistent staffing model across the whole service. It is proposed that some of the savings in Bournemouth, which could be achieved in any event, will be ring fenced to Bournemouth Borough Council and the remainder of the savings shown here will be apportioned on an appropriate basis. 6.4 To effect the change, staff will transfer to Poole as the lead council. The ownership of assets, books and library buildings will remain unchanged, but with some operational management being delegated to the lead authority as part of the formal legal agreement. The existing Private Finance Initiative arrangement in Bournemouth will remain and is not part of this proposal. 6.5 The joint service would continue to develop options for further change and further savings with future options including more automation, increased community involvement, and alternative governance arrangements. The development of a new library strategy and any future changes to the statutory service would require extensive public consultation. The current proposal in this report will also have the potential to adapt to Local Government Reorganisations or other boundary changes that emerge in the future. 6.6 The agreement would ensure that appropriate arrangements are made to enable both local authority partners to fulfil their responsibilities for accountability, reporting and forward planning for the service and resources. Joint Governance Board meetings will be chaired by Bournemouth s Portfolio Holder. The lead authority will prepare and agree with both partners an annual business plan to define and monitor service level outcomes and performance. Bournemouth would performance manage the service delivered by Poole, there will be ongoing ability to review expenditure and a series of regular reports to Overview and Scrutiny

4 and Cabinet on a similar basis to arrangements in place for Adult Learning. 7 BENEFITS OF THE JOINT SERVICE FOR RESIDENTS There is commonality between the strategic priorities of the two Councils, especially around health and wellbeing, achievement by children and young people and economic growth and regeneration. There is obvious commonality about strategic outcomes and operational partnerships for public library services as shown below. Both Bournemouth and Poole Library Services are members of regional partnerships, including South Western Regional Library Service, CUSP consortium for stock purchasing, and the Bournemouth and Poole Cultural Hub. Both Library Services have contractual arrangements with the Royal Voluntary Service for delivery of library loan services to people in their own homes. The National Libraries Taskforce describes the purposes for public libraries: Cultural and creative enrichment; Increased reading and literacy; Improved digital access and literacy; Helping everyone achieve their full potential; healthier and happier lives; greater prosperity; stronger, more resilient communities. The Society of Chief Librarians Universal Offers and national strategies are: Reading, Digital, Health, Culture, Learning, Information, Children s Promise and Six Steps for visually impaired people Increased reading and literacy: Increased reading for pleasure and for learning is proven to have important educational and personal benefits. A joint service will help to increase impact and take up of library services, increase the number of children, young people, adults and families participating (as readers and volunteers) Events, activities and promotion: Bournemouth and Poole currently offer residents a variety of events and activities. Skills and specialism will be shared and grown to provide a bigger programme of events to attract and benefit residents in both council areas. Each library will retain its own local identity but joint marketing, cross promoting to users and a wider library offer has potential to increase impact and take up of library services Greater prosperity and help into work: Bournemouth offers Jobs Clubs and Poole offers Jobs Hubs to help people into employment, to start businesses and create jobs. Expertise will be shared to increase economic growth and prosperity in both Council areas Increased income: we will be better placed to engage with commercial partners to increase income opportunities for libraries and make best use of library locations Increased digital access and literacy: the library service helps people to get on line and supports them where necessary to complete on-line activities of their choice. Both library services provide places to co-create and share expertise e.g. Code Clubs, 3D printing. This experience will be shared and grown to benefit residents in both Council areas Healthier and happier library users: people who are housebound or have dementia or autism, and their carers will feel more connected and supported

5 to manage in the community, and maintain their independence and wellbeing as a result of their contact with the wider service. An expanded library offer will support increased opportunities for volunteering Improving Value for Money: review costs to ensure a consistent approach to best value Sustainability: libraries continue to deliver excellent front line services and customer outcomes Efficiencies: Efficiencies through an ongoing programme of review and change. Specific benefits include further reduced management and back office costs, integration of Home Library Service, rationalisation of office space and harmonising contracts and joint procurement Sharing specialist services: sharing specialist and support staff including extensive music services and heritage collections in Bournemouth and bibliotherapy services in Poole Improved Fundraising and income: Poole was an early pilot in the Arts Council income generation in public libraries programme. We believe, from Poole s learning and from Bournemouth s experiences, that a larger service has increased potential to attract inward investment and new external funding Stronger Communities: The network of 22 libraries will deliver improved services and outcomes for residents by continuing to reach out into their local communities bringing people together and providing a shared sense of place helping local government deliver their strategic objectives, whether linked to community cohesion, health and wellbeing, economic growth, promoting independent living or increasing life chances Effective Partnerships: the new service will strengthen links with existing partners and work with new partners to improve the quality and range of services available with resources and particularly developing stronger partnerships between the public library service and schools One stop shops and multi-service hubs: Developing library buildings as multi service hubs is a priority outcome for Bournemouth Libraries. The Kinson Hub is the most mature partnership example with housing, Children s Centre, and other services sharing or operating from the library. Opportunities to learn and develop this approach across both council areas will be explored 8 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 8.1 The recommendations within this report will allow the anticipated savings identified below to be achieved across the three year financial plans of each Council. 8.2 Transitional costs and financial benefits to be achieved through this joint working proposal will be shared on ratios to be advised by the finance teams within each authority and in accordance with joint services governance arrangements.

6 8.3 Current Costs Current Cost of Service Borough of Poole Bournemouth Borough Council Predicted future cost of joint service Direct Salaries 1,070,000 1,907,000 2,411,000 Direct Operational costs Supplies & Services (including other controllable costs) 368, , ,000 Direct controllable Income ( 130,000) ( 185,000) ( 315,000) Total Direct Operational Costs 1,308,000 1,935,000 2,677,000 Indirect Costs Other costs (including non controllable costs (PFI, Central Support, Depreciation) 1,057,000 2,385,000 3,442,000 Total 2,365,000 4,320,000 6,119,000 Estimated Saving ( 566,000) 8.4 Anticipated Savings Table Poole Bournemouth 2017/ / / / / /20 Benefit expected (95k) (69k) (23k) (232k) (120k) (27k) Poole Figures from savings table included in MTFP Bournemouth MTFP shows 125k saving for 2017/18 and 100k for 2018/19. Excess reflects 2016/17 assumed saving previously identified Note: Figures exclude PFI contract which remains with Bournemouth and does not form a part of this proposal. Figures exclude transitional costs such as redundancies arising from operational restructuring. 9 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 9.1 An Inter-authority Agreement for the library shared service will be prepared based on the principles and aims in this report and the existing arrangements for shared services between the Councils. The agreement will be prepared and agreed by legal officers of both Councils in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and service managers as appropriate. 9.2 TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) Regulations apply to organisations of all sizes and protect employees' rights when the delivery of the service they work for transfers from one employer to a new employer. 9.3 Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972 permits arrangements for the discharge of functions by local authorities and allows an authority to arrange

7 for its functions to be discharged by another local authority. 9.4 Local Authorities have a statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons in the area that want to make use of it, taking into account local needs and within available resources. 9.5 National guidelines govern the process for changing statutory library services. Significant change to services need to be supported by a strategy, review of residents needs and equalities impacts and extensive engagement and consultation. 9.6 No library closures and no changes in library opening hours are being recommended within these current proposals for the change in management arrangements and therefore public engagement is not required and the proposals will enable the councils to continue to comply with the Public Libraries Act. 10 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS 10.1 An equalities impact assessment has been completed. In the public service there are no negative outcomes on equalities groups identified. The proposal as it is currently described does not reduce the provision of the statutory library service Any equalities impacts arising for the staff changes will be identified and resolved through the use of the Councils established processes for the management of staff changes. Kevin McErlane, Head of Culture and Community, Borough of Poole Neil Goddard, Service Director, Community Learning and Commissioning, Bournemouth Borough Council