Issue - meetings

This report sets out the call-in by 12 Councillors of the decision relating to the agreed decision to move the One Stop Shop to the Podium. The role of the Panel is to consider the issues raised by the call-in and to determine its response.

The Chair invited the Lead Call in Member Councillor Richard Samuel to make a statement. Councillor Samuel stated that actions should be clear and supported by facts and that scrutiny is necessary where decisions appear irrational. He highlighted the four main issues in the call in notice which were: the need for scrutiny on the expenditure on the project to date; the lack of consultation on co-location; lack of evidence of the practicality of co-locating both services and issues around the deliverability of the project (Councillor Samuel gave Panel members some information on the lease documentation which is attached to these minutes). He concluded by saying that if the Panel has any doubts, the decision must be sent back to the Cabinet to fill in the gaps.

The Panel made the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor Bull asked Councillor Samuel to explain the point about the space, Councillor Samuel stated that when a public body plans spending such as this, there should be early work to assess if the proposals are possible. He stated that it would give people more confidence if they could see plans of how the One Stop Shop (OSS) could be transferred into the library space.

Councillor Romero stated that there had been a lesser response from OSS users and asked if it was fair to assume that they might need private areas to discuss sensitive issues. She also asked about the risks regarding deliverability. Councillor Samuel stated that, with his experience of being a trustee of CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) he did think that OSS users would need to use private interview spaces.

There was some discussion around the paper on the lease handed out by Councillor Samuel (attached to these minutes). Councillor Anketell Jones asked if the situation referred to in paragraph 7 is likely (a lease termination), Councillor Samuel stated that clarity was needed on this.

Councillor Butters asked if the Guildhall had been considered as a venue for the Library, to which Councillor Samuel explained that it was, but it was one of the three locations that were discounted. Councillor Samuel stated that he was told at Cabinet that £25k had been spent so far but that the members briefing paper provided (attached to these minutes) quoted £108k professional fees.

The Chair invited the Cabinet member for Transformation and Customer Services, Councillor Karen Warrington to make a statement. Councillor Warrington stated that there are examples where integration (Library and OSS) has worked well and she felt that the blend of the two services will make both sustainable, and benefit users. She explained that the next stage in the process was about engagement with stakeholders and design. She explained that the costs had been included in previous papers but had been circulated again for clarity. She explained that the consultation survey was available online and in hard copy and the results were on the website along with the needs assessment and Equality Impact Assessment. She further explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43

On the 19th July Cabinet approved a report which recommended consultation should take place on the two viable location options for a new integrated Library and One Stop Shop in Bath.

Extensive consultation was conducted via a questionnaire presented online and in paper format.  The response to this consultation has now concluded and the results, including feedback from the Full Council debate and Scrutiny Panel, are summarised within this paper and at appendix A. 

A final decision on the location is now required in order that the project can move into the next phase of scheme design, the estimated capital requirements for bringing this development forward need to be released from the provision identified.

Councillor Richard Samuel said that although he had shown support for protection of the library, he was concerned that detailed cost of the project could not be produced by the Council.  Councillor Samuel felt that integration of library and One Stop Shop (OSS) at the Podium may be the least desirable option.  Councillor Samuel asked the Cabinet to hold tight control on the cost and for full transparency with this project.

Councillor Paul Crossley said that current OSS space at Lewis House had been refurbished not so long ago and the OSS had been successful due to its space and its proximity to bus and train station.  Councillor Crossley felt that there was no reason for co-location and asked for a cost associated to the project and whether the police would use the new premises.

Councillor Dine Romero expressed her concern over the project’s direction and delivery and requested more clarity on agreement between Waitrose and the Council.  Councillor Romero also asked the Cabinet to pause the project and asked for new evidence on the co-location arrangements.

Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones welcomed the proposal by saying that the Podium had had cultural and social intensity, and having a library and OSS there would work.  Councillor Anketell-Jones also said that exhibition space at the library should be retained.

Councillor Karen Warrington said that the aim was to integrate library and customer services in Bath to reach out to more people from all ages and backgrounds – providing a place where everyone in the community could access support, knowledge, culture and events to help them reach their full potential. The integration of services was both physical and cultural, with library and customer services coming together to share the same space, facilities and support, to meet the changing needs of their customers.  The chosen option at the Podium had had an indicative capital cost of £2.8m for Bath (the overall Modern Libraries programme including option 4 was estimated to cost £3.6m).  The net savings were estimated to be £393k per annum for Bath (the overall Modern Libraries programme was expected to save a net £798k per annum).  The consultation had commenced on 20th July 2017 and had closed on 15th September 2017.  The consultation document had been available on the council’s website and in print at all libraries and OSS’s.  The results of the consultation had showed that nearly 92% of respondents had opted for the Podium as their preferred location for the combined library and One Stop Shop. Councillor Warrington also added that there had been successful integration in Cardiff and Newcastle.

Councillor Karen Warrington moved the recommendations.

Councillor Mark Shelford seconded the motion by welcoming that the Council would save the library and integrate services to create a space where all members of the community could read, connect, learn and get help.

The rest of the Cabinet also welcomed the motion where they believed that by bringing the two services together residents and library users in Bath would continue to receive a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122