Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Community Services & Safety

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/055

Contact: Lesli Good, Assistant Director, Cultural Services Tel: 07930 617798

Report by Corporate Director of Customers and Organisational Development (CA10).

Cabinet agreed on 20 April 2021 to the development of a Libraries and Heritage Strategy to be presented to Cabinet by the end of 2021.  The development of a strategy will set a clear long-term direction for the development of these services, their contribution to post pandemic recovery and wider community outcomes focused around the following themes:

·               education, learning and skills

·               healthy place shaping and well-being

·               culture and creativity

·               digital inclusion

·               social inclusion and community cohesion

·               economic development

·               environmental sustainability

The strategy will be informed by an evidence base including a review of current performance, analysis of community needs and customer feedback. Further, insight will be gathered through community engagement in Faringdon and Banbury, these locations have planned library improvements (including capital expenditure) and offer an immediate opportunity for proactive stakeholder engagement in shaping the future of the service. 

In developing the evidence base the county council have benefited from feedback from a Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review on Oxfordshire Libraries and Heritage Services Libraries which took place virtually on 11 and 12 March 2021.  Cabinet is now asked to consider the report, note the recommendations made, and agree that these should be incorporated into the council’s business planning and development of the strategy.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       consider the LGA Cultural Services Peer Review feedback report (Annex 1);

(b)       note the recommendations set out within the report;

(c)       agree the proposals set out at paragraph 10 for incorporating the report’s recommendations into the service planning and Libraries and Heritage Strategy development process.

Recommendations agreed

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the development of a clear vision and strategic framework for the planning and delivery of libraries and heritage services to strengthen the contribution they make to wider community outcomes.

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety, thanked all the staff and volunteers who had engaged positively with the peer challenge as well as the peer review team.  As the Council developed its services it was important that they take account of the recommendations.  The report contained a lot of good ideas and advice as well as signposting good practices elsewhere.

Councillor Fawcett drew attention to the statistics in Appendix 1 showing how use of library services in Oxfordshire was well above the national average.  He also noted as an example the 5,400 hours of voluntary support given to Oxfordshire Museum.

The Council’s own review will take place later this year.  Councillor Fawcett was keen that it be a listening exercise and that as many councillors as possible take part.

Councillor Mark Lygo added that he was aware of many messages of appreciation from people who were isolating and who wanted to thank volunteers without whom they would not be reading.

The Leader reiterated how important libraries were in their communities and stated that it was this Cabinet’s intention to support them as much as possible.

RESOLVED to:

a)            consider the LGA Cultural Services Peer Review feedback report (Annex 1);

b)           note the recommendations set out within the report;

c)            agree the proposals set out at paragraph 10 for incorporating the report’s recommendations into the service planning and Libraries and Heritage Strategy development process.