Issue - meetings

Report DRR16/069

Following pre-decision scrutiny at the meeting of the Renewal & Recreation Policy Development & Scrutiny Committee on 18^th March 2015, the Renewal & Recreation Portfolio Holder had decided to implement a new approach to the delivery of library services in view of the difficult financial circumstances.  This included agreeing to start a procurement process to identify suitable community management options for the borough’s six community libraries.

In January 2016, following the evaluation of initial business plans and negotiations with tenderers, the Portfolio Holder awarded preferred bidder status to Community Links Bromley to enable them to work up the detail needed to finalise its business plan for community management at all six community libraries. Final business plans were submitted, clarified and evaluated, but following this process Community Links Bromley had decided to withdraw their tender.  As a result, there were no proposals for community management at community libraries to be considered.

In light of this, the report recommended that the Council pursue the alternative option presented in the update report in November 2015 which recommended that, should no suitable community management arrangements be found, community libraries should be included in the commissioning of the core Library Service.  The Council had begun a joint tender process for core library services with the London Borough of Bexley, but since the report had been prepared Bexley had notified the Council that it was formally withdrawing as it wished to pursue other opportunities for making savings. The tender process was set up so that it could continue if either authority withdrew.

A Member was disappointed that a 50:50 split on price/quality had been used for community libraries, rather than the normal guideline of 60:40. It was confirmed that the main tender for library services would be assessed on the 60:40 basis, but that the nature of the tender for community management at community libraries was not considered to be commercial in the usual sense, and that the quality of the voluntary or other management, and riskiness of the financial model was more crucial. Therefore, the tendered price needed to be balanced with these requirements. 

The proposals had been supported by the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee at their meeting on 20^th September 2016.  The Executive considered that the proposals represented positive continued investment in the Library Service, achieving savings but without any intention to close libraries or reduce jobs. 

RESOLVED that

(1) The outcome of the tender seeking community management at community libraries, and that no tenders remain, be noted.

(2) The £250k saving built into the budget for 2016/17 be drawn down from the Central Contingency as the assumed savings will not be achieved this financial year.

(3) Community libraries for direct management be included as part of the tender for core library services.