Agenda item

Cabinet Members update

The Cabinet Member will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions on the update provided.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman informed the meeting that he would bring this item forward and invited Cabinet member to give their updates.

 

Councillor Karen Warrington (Transformation and Customer Services) statement:

 

‘Community Run Libraries

The transitioning of our branch libraries to community run libraries is proceeding at pace.

Saltford Community Library opened its doors in July and is an exciting joint community initiative. Planning for additional use has been approved and the post office counter will open on the 24th September. The Community Library is putting back something into the community and getting revenue at the same time.

Weston has completed public consultation, planning has been approved to include office space. The Library has established its governance and volunteer network and is now undergoing remodelling by the landlords with the view to opening its doors as a new community library in mid-October.

Moorland Road is currently undergoing consultation with the community and a community group have established themselves with a volunteer network ready to take on the running of the library. A full application is expected in the Autumn.

Paulton has completed public consultation and a full application is expected from the Parish Council in the Autumn subject to costs being resolved due to potential rental increases from the landlord.

2 brand new exiting community libraries have been approved with grant funding issued and will be opening in Bishop Sutton and Timsbury at the end of October and November respectively.  These are rural areas that have reduced services and therefore are likely to have isolated residents.  New Community Libraries are an opportunity for the community to have a focus for the village and the wider area.

3 other expressions of interest have been received from Chew Valley School, Peasedown and Southside. Further conversations are ongoing with Radstock, Chew Stoke, Combe Hay, Larkhall, Foxhill and Whitchurch.

 

A new system for the delivery of stock to community libraries has been successfully implemented which will be much more efficient and sustainable for any future growth as well as improve the service we can provide to them.

We will monitor and review the Mobile Library route in light of the changes to community libraries and community demand, but no significant route or service changes have been instigated to date. 

We have looked at options for a replacement service and have concluded that a like for like replacement is the best option.  Therefore we are embarking on the procurement process for a new vehicle which will reduce the number of days lost due to breakdowns and service issues and ensuring more resilience is in place for day to day operational delivery.

 

Midsomer Norton Library and Information Service at The Hollies

The new space and the new service opened to the public on 4th June.  Early feedback has been positive and this is backed up by a 60% increase in the number of new members compared to the same period last year which will translate into a significant increase in the number of items being borrowed over the coming months.

The former Library is currently being marketed for sale.

 

Bath Library and Information Service at The Podium

Following extensive engagement, the design work on the new space is complete with the aim of going out to tender in October.  The feedback from the consultation events has been incredibly positive – most participants agree that we’ve listened and included their suggestions and that the resulting design looks exciting whilst addressing their operational and integration concerns.

VISUALS are being handed out now for reference (attached as Appendix to these minutes).

We are working to find & secure a temporary location for the library for the duration of the works as this is the preferred option in order to minimise the construction period and therefore the disruption to the public.

The current plan is that work will start on site early in the New Year and complete during July/August 2019.  Obviously we are not in a position to confirm this as yet until a contractor is appointed and determined the scheme of works.

On points of process – Later this month officers will draw down scheme funding from the provisional capital programme. Also an application for a ‘Certificate of Lawfulness’ has been submitted to the Planners to confirm that the incorporation of the services is compatible with the existing planning use class of the Library.  This application will be available for the public to view on the planning portal over the next week or so (depending on the registration process). 

 

Designing the new service

A vital part of the whole programme is changing the way we work in the new spaces we create and in improving the service we offer to the public.  We are looking at all our operations and working practices to ensure they support the customer to self-serve where appropriate but provide the right level of expertise and intervention when required.  We are looking at how we ensure that we target our resources to where they are most needed and also how we make the best use of our volunteers and partners.  We will be taking every opportunity to use new tools and technology to become more efficient and joined up for the services we offer.

 

There are concerns regarding safety.  You will see from the answers to the questions that there will be a full appraisal of safety and security routes from the building.

An incident at Lewis House was referred to in the questions to panel and I can confirm that this was an incident that directly related to the Police Enquiry Desk, although visitors were moved out of the OSS for their own safety.  The Police Enquiry Desk will not be moving to The Podium and will remain at Lewis House, despite scaremongering amongst some quarters.

The whole programme remains on track to deliver its objectives and to

generate the savings required.’

Councillor Evans asked if there was any expression of interest on the Midsomer Norton library premises in the High Street.

 

Councillor Warrington responded that there were no expressions of interest yet.

 

Councillor Evans commented that library integration with One Stop Shops in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton had been working quite well so far and asked if the same or similar model would be used for the Bath library.

 

Councillor Warrington responded that the Midsomer Norton library was based on the Keynsham library model, though both had operated in slightly different way.

 

Councillor Samuel commented that if the certificate of lawfulness would be launched next week then the Planning Department would probably not consider it until November, which means that design of new space would not start before that date.  Councillor Samuel asked if specific permissions were granted to speed up the process.

 

Councillor Warrington replied that the officers involved in redesign of library services had been in constant contact with the Planning Department in terms of the design.  The application had been logged and it should soon be available to the public.  There were no objections from the landlords.  Councillor Warrington also said that Certificate of lawfulness was not a subject of consultation.

 

Councillor Turner asked if the use of new technology in libraries would increase efficiency.

 

Councillor Warrington responded that users would be shown how to use the self-service facilities.

 

Councillor Gilchrist asked if the whole programme was on track to deliver savings.

 

Councillor Warrington confirmed that the whole programme was on track to deliver savings.

 

Councillor Butters asked about engagements from villages in running community libraries.

 

Councillor Warrington responded that anyone could run a community library as long as they would come up with a goof offer and an adequate space.

 

The Chairman asked if the Radstock Town Council would be considered to run community library in Radstock and whether villages from around Paulton would be asked to contribute towards the running of Paulton library considering that a number of users were outside Paulton.

 

Councillor Warrington responded that anyone, not only Town Council could run Radstock library; and, that she would check with ALCA (Avon Local Councils Association) on potential subsidy for the library from nearby villages. 

 

Councillor Mark Shelford (Transport and Environment)

 

Busses and coaches

 

·  Bath bus station would be cleaned and refurbished by the First Group who was responsible for the site.

·  Wessex busses had withdrawn their services faster than expected.

·  Positive discussion with the Traffic Commissioner on parking hot-spots for coaches

 

Highways

·  Traffic calming measures and road works in and around Keynsham were going ahead.  Traffic queues and delays where road works were.

·  Renewal on the highway maintenance project was on track.

·  WECA would help with the Toghill works.  An experimental TRO to follow.

·  TRO for the Circus had been signed off.

·  Churchill subway refurbishment on track.

 

Councillor Gilchrist asked when a review on 20mph speed limit policies might happen.

 

Councillor Shelford responded that it should happen this year, depending on a response from the Department of Transport.

 

Councillor Butters asked about Western gateway and if this would be competitive to WECA.

 

Councillor Shelford replied that this would not be competitive to WECA; WECA might help hosting it.

 

Councillor Anketell-Jones asked if the Traffic Commissioner could stop coaches idling the engines whilst waiting for the passengers to board in.

 

Councillor Shelford responded that he would discuss this with the Traffic Commissioner.

 

Councillor Turner asked about potholes prioritisation.

 

Councillor Shelford responded that the Council have had limited founds to repair potholes, and for that reason bigger potholes were priority over smaller ones.

 

The Chairman asked about the tram working group and whether there was any progress with WECA on that matter.

 

Councillor Shelford responded that WECA had looked supportively at this issue and any progress would be communicated.

 

 

Councillor Bob Goodman (Development and Neighbourhoods)

 

·  Clean Air Zone – the work in this matter continues.  The new Clean Air Zone would be larger than the original proposal.

·  Refuse and recycling – Food recycling figures were on increase of 50% from the last year, which was a positive outcome.  Overall, there was huge improvement on recycling. Significant support from Ward Members around Bath University.

·  Fly-tipping – figures were down from the same period last year, which was another positive outcome.  One of the main reasons was an increase in fines for illegal fly-tipping.

·  Street cleaning – figures had increased from the same period last year, though an increase in street cleaning was expected as the street cleaning now included parks.

·  Curo and recycling – the Council had been talking to Curo about recycling in their areas; positive talks with more recycling figures to come.

·  Litter dropping – vehicles used to control roads for litter dropping from cars were now fitted with dash cams.

·  City Gardens bid – the Council had submitted a bid of £2m.

·  Sports centres – the number of users of sport centres had increased.  There was a health and safety issue at the Bath Sports and Leisure Centre which is being addressed; Keynsham Leisure Centre work was on track.

 

Councillor Turner said that 2 residents association had come forward to help with the litter dropping awareness by putting leaflets through residents’ letterboxes, and asked if these initiatives would be welcomed by the Council.

 

Councillor Goodman responded that the Council would welcome any support from the residents’ association on this matter. 

 

Councillor Samuel asked if there was any agreement, or a policy, set for the commercial waste/bins left on highways; and, when the Clear Air Zone plan would be published.  Councillor Samuel commented on necessity of discussions about recycling with Curo.

 

Councillor Goodman responded that the draft Clean Air Zone plan would be published on or around 16th October 2018.  Councillor Goodman also said that businesses would be penalised if their waste/bins were obstructing the roads or pavements.  Councillor Goodman added that all residents, even those living in properties owned by Curo, should recycle in the same way.

 

Councillor Butters welcomed the progress of waste collection though he highlighted that not all of the waste was collected on waste collection days.

 

Councillor Goodman agreed with Councillor Butters by saying that waste collection would never be 100% successful.  On many occasions waste collectors had found difficult to collect the waste from the roads where the access was obstructed by inappropriately parked vehicles.

 

The Chairman welcomed that the draft plan on Clean Air Zone would be available in October and asked the Cabinet member to consider Panel’s scrutiny input on this matter.

 

Councillor Goodman responded that he would be happy to present the plan to the Panel for scrutiny.

 

 

The Chairman thanked all Cabinet Members for their updates.