Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Education & Cultural Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/046

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

Report by Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development (CA9).

The council’s current library and heritage services provide a network of assets in our local communities and an active and passionate community of volunteers. Our libraries provide a ‘footprint’ in many communities, geographically spread across the county, on which to build and develop responsive library and added value services that explicitly meet local needs. 

There is evidence from other authorities that a clear vision and strategic framework for the planning and delivery of these services can strengthen the contribution they make to wider community outcomes.  As we move out of the pandemic and make plans for economic and community recovery the time is right to improve our strategic ambition and planning for these services.

The report seeks  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. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)           Agree the purpose for libraries and heritage services set out in para 28 and the development of a strategic framework to enable these services to contribute more effectively to broader community outcomes in line with the council’s statutory duties and strategic vision ‘Thriving Communities for Everyone in Oxfordshire’.

(b)           Ensure the role of the libraries and heritage is widely acknowledged as a significant contributor to economic growth and development in the county and the region by setting out the ambitions and planned outcomes in strategic plans.

(c)           Agree that the development of the strategic framework should be based on detailed understanding of local need and engagement with stakeholders as set out in para 34 to 38.

(d)           Agree to the development of a Member Engagement Plan to build a shared understanding of the contribution of these services to community outcomes.

The council’s current library and heritage services provide a network of assets in our local communities and an active and passionate community of volunteers. Our libraries provide a ‘footprint’ in many communities, geographically spread across the county, on which to build and develop responsive library and added value services that explicitly meet local needs. 

The report sought 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 Emma Turnbull, Shadow Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services raised the following queries

·       A recent peer review of the heritage and library services was not mentioned in the report. Councillor Turnbull queried whether it was going to be published and when, and whether its recommendations were included in this service redesign.

·       Councillor Turnbull welcomed the concept of co-production and queried how it would work in practice; how would the volunteers across our library service be involved.

·       The report mentioned the Council’s Inclusion Strategy but did not go into detail. Councillor Turnbull queried how this new service will build diverse inclusive communities.

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services introduced the contents of the report commenting she was pleased to bring the report as it represented a desire to raise the profile of the services and the important role they play in the lives of Oxfordshire residents.

Councillor Lindsay-Gale commented that there had been a recent LGA Peer Review and their comments had supported the development of a strategy to enable the Council to secure maximum value from its investment in these services to reduce inequality and to support the task of levelling up post pandemic. Their report would be published. Councillor Lindsay-Gale moved the recommendations.

Jane Portman, Interim Consultant Cultural Services responded to the query on co-production recognising that the volunteer workforce was vital and would be part of the co-production work undertaken. Library users would also be engaged and library non-users.

On inclusion, whilst library services are universal and open to everybody, it was also vital to ensure that there were targeted services for particular communities and groups of people. Claire Taylor, Corporate Director, Customers and Organisational Development added that it was important to recognise that in recent times and in the response to recovery from the pandemic going forward there had been a focus on putting inclusion at the heart of what the Council was doing. It was important in the co-production work to reach out to those people who did not currently use the library service and to think about a more local focus and local determination of the service provided to respond to specific needs in individual communities.

Councillor Heathcoat as the former portfolio holder warmly welcomed the report and recommendations although sounding a note of caution in respect of the financial implications taking this forward.

RESOLVED:           to

(a)      agree the purpose for libraries and heritage services set out in para 28 and the development of a strategic framework to enable these services to contribute more effectively to broader community outcomes in line with the council’s statutory duties and strategic vision ‘Thriving Communities for Everyone in Oxfordshire’;

(b)      ensure the role of the libraries and heritage is widely acknowledged as a significant contributor to economic growth and development in the county and the region by setting out the ambitions and planned outcomes in strategic plans;

(c)      agree that the development of the strategic framework should be based on detailed understanding of local need and engagement with stakeholders as set out in para 34 to 38; and

(d)      agree to the development of a Member Engagement Plan to build a shared understanding of the contribution of these services to community outcomes.