Agenda item

PROVISION OF LIBRARY SERVICES - CONTRACT PERFORMANCE REPORT

Minutes:

Report DRR19/010

 

Members considered an update on the Provision of Library Services contract with Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) in regard to the last six months of operation.

 

Mr Mark Sesnan, Managing Director, GLL, attended the meeting.

 

The Chairman commented on what he considered to be a positive outcome of the performance review in regard to membership growth and the number of activities and events held.  Feedback from user surveys for the first and second quarters was requested.  The Principal Client, Libraries informed the Chairman that a more extensive on-line customer survey was currently underway, the results of which would be included in the next report to Committee.

 

It was agreed that the Principal Client, Libraries would circulate comparative figures for complaints received by other GLL operated libraries i.e. Greenwich and Wandsworth.  It was usual practice for attempts to be made to resolve complaints on the day they were made.  There had been no specific spike in complaints in Bromley.  The majority of complaints related to:-

 

·  the lack of information to hand;

·  fines;

·  faulty IT equipment;

·  slow-running wi-fi;

·  insufficient books on display; and

·  a better selection of books required.

 

All complaints had been adequately dealt with.

 

In regard to paragraph 8.6 (page 69), it was agreed that future reports would include a summary of complaints in addition to the compliments received.  A summary of complaints for this review would be circulated to Members.

 

In response to questions by Councillor King, Members were informed that the Stock Fund currently stood at £450k per annum.  Spend was monitored to ensure that it was used specifically for purchasing stock.  A breakdown of stock purchased by individual libraries would be formulated and circulated to Members.

 

A breakdown of refurbishment costs would also be provided.

 

More detail in regard to complaints received and resolved to the claimant’s satisfaction would be included in future reports.

 

Information on the number of children’s events which had not taken place due to the current industrial action, would be sent to Members.

 

In response to questions from visiting Member Councillor Wilkins, Members were informed that the gaps in the 2018 data as evidenced in paragraphs 5.5 and 5.6 (page 64), was due to the change and transfer of the Library Management system. 

 

Spot checks were undertaken every 2-3 months at each library and the outcome of these would be included in future reports.

 

Appendix 2 contained the correct number of KPI incidents.  It was explained that although one incident occurred at St Paul’s Cray Library, it was regarded as five incidents due to the fact that the sole self-service kiosk was out of order for five days.

 

The Chairman cautioned GLL to be mindful of KPIs in the future.

 

The Managing Director, GLL reported that as a social enterprise, if there was no current Investment Plan, it was possible that funds may be shared with a leisure facility however, at no time would it count as profit and would always be reinvested to support and promote GLL’s social purpose through the services it operates.

 

Councillor Benington welcomed the changes that had taken place since the transfer of service which had resulted in more choices for children and services.

 

RESOLVED that the performance of the service provider in the last six months of the contract be noted.

 

 

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