The local authority has confirmed it is to “review” its controversial decision to move One Stop Shop services into the same building as Bath’s main library.
Bath and North East Somerset Council was forced to take a second look at its decision after councillors objected citing a lack of open, public consultation and evidence.
The cabinet decision, and others related to community and mobile libraries in B&NES, will be reviewed at a public meeting on Monday, November 13.
A scrutiny panel will challenge the decisions “in the public interest of full disclosure of the facts”.
Announcing the review after news broke of councillors’ request for a call-in, the council released a statement with details of the meeting at the Guildhall, which starts at 4.30pm on Monday.
The decision about moving the One Stop Shop will be discussed first.
Discussions about community libraries decisions will not start before 6pm.
There will be a public speaking slot at the beginning of the meeting and there will also be another opportunity later on.
Full details and agenda papers are available here .
The council’s statement about the meeting is reproduced in full below.
Council Statement
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Policy Development & Scrutiny Panel for Communities, Transport & Environment will be reviewing the recent decision made by cabinet of the approach to community libraries and on the consultation outcomes and proposals for a modern library in Bath.
This will be discussed at the next panel meeting on the 13 November which starts at 4.30pm, in the Guildhall Bath. This item of the meeting (known as a ‘Call-In’) will consider the process leading to the Cabinet decisions, taken on the 11 October 2017.
This cross-party panel will consider the reasons for the decisions on two Call-In requests received:
• On the consultation outcomes and proposals for a modern library in Bath received on the 13 November (Liberal Democrats)
• On the community approach to libraries (1) Labour, received on the 13 November (2) Liberal Democrats, received on the 17 November
Decision to move One Stop Shop into library
The panel will firstly consider the Call-In following a decision by the Cabinet to move the One Stop Shop to The Podium in Bath.
The Call-In follows a decision by the Cabinet where it was agreed to:
• Note the outcome of the consultation.
• Approve the Podium as the chosen site for the central Bath integrated Library & One Stop Shop.
• Fully approve capital spending of £330K for the next phase of the project.
• Agree that the next phase will involve appointment of architects and a positive programme of user and partner engagement to enable detailed designs and costings.
• Note that once detailed costings have been produced, and final designs established, the total requirement for capital funding will be confirmed and relevant approvals obtained.
Decisions affecting community libraries, including mobile libraries
During the same meeting the Panel will also address the decision regarding the community approach to libraries by picking up the points raised from both call in submissions received.
The Call-In follows a decision by the Cabinet to adopt a new approach to delivering community run library services in Bath and North East Somerset as part of the overall modern libraries programme.
And also approve the release of Capital in the sum of £275,000 to invest in and support our new approach to community run libraries.
Subsequently on the 13 November a call-in notice was received, signed by 11 Councillors, objecting to this decision.
A second call-in notice was also received on the 17 November, signed by 13 Councillors formally asked for the Cabinet Member’s decision to be reviewed – or Called-In.
Reasons to review the community libraries decisions
Some of the reasons given for the call-in include:
1. The report fails to identify the impact on current mobile library users once this service ceases.
2. Inadequate consideration has been given to how sustainable it is to expect local groups to take on the running of libraries and how this would be funded.
3. The consultation on this approach has been limited and the results of this consultation have not been published
4. The Equalities Impact Assessment referred to as a background paper does not appear to have been published.
5. The decision has been taken without any open, public consultation having been carried out.
6. No financial breakdown has been provided to decision-makers regarding the proposed savings and no detail is offered of how the community model may work.
7. Information about the ownership of branch library buildings is not included in the report.
At the public meeting, the Scrutiny Panel will receive a statement from Cllr Karen Warrington (Conservative, Clutton), Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services, and from Cllr Joe Rayment (Labour, Twerton) on behalf of councillors who requested the first Call-In and from Cllr Richard Samuel (Liberal Democrats, Walcot) on behalf of councillors who called in the second decision.
Article originally appeared on Bath Chronicle
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