Libraries Commission terms of reference

Background

There is a growing recognition on the part of central and local government that library services have to change in line with changes in lifestyle and expectations. Central government is encouraging greater collaboration between councils and a closer relationship between councils and communities in order to provide more efficient and effective services.

Low usage of Lambeth Libraries has resulted in the highest cost per visit, combined with the lowest levels of user satisfaction, of any London borough. As a consequence of reductions in Government grant savings of £750,000 are to be made by 2014.

Lambeth Council's work to transform its libraries services is occurring at a time when local government, as a sector, is being encouraged to explore alternative approaches to service delivery and to consider a mixed economy of provision. The library service in Lambeth has recognised the need to review and re-focus its services in order to increase the take up of services within the financial envelope available.

The response to this challenge in Lambeth is to enter into dialogue, using a co-operative approach, with local communities, public service representatives and library experts in order to:

• Develop a new vision for Lambeth's library service
• Identify the outcomes Lambeth's library service will seek to realise/contribute toward realising
• Identify the community needs the library service should seek to address
• Identify ways in which to work in partnership with neighbouring authorities to drive out efficiencies of scale and shared expertise.

Title and status

The name of the group is to be the Libraries Commission. The Commission will be comprised of Cabinet Members and external stakeholders and will be chaired by the Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and the 2012 Games. The commission shall act in an advisory capacity, with Lambeth Council acting as the accountable body for the commission.

Lambeth Council's Cabinet will:

• Receive updates on the commission's work
• Receive an interim report in July 2011 and final report of the commission in November 2011
• Undertake to formally respond to any findings and recommendations of the commission.

Principles

Members of the commission will:

• Be open and honest
• Respect and value the contribution of others
• Be open to new ideas and ways of working
• Involve citizens and service users in developing their proposals
• Be focused on improving outcomes for citizens
• Will not discriminate on the grounds of race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

Relationship with Lambeth Council

The Commission is an advisory body to Lambeth Council’s Cabinet. As such it has no formal decision making or budgetary powers.

Structure and membership

The Commission will consist of three Lambeth Council Cabinet members and at least three external stakeholders. The work of the Commission will be undertaken through the following work streams:

• Commission sessions: These sessions will receive expert contributions from policy makers, community representatives, academics and central/local government representatives on best practice and leading edge thinking regarding the future development of the public library sector.
• Community dialogue programme: To provide the opportunity for local people and library staff to get involved in the transformation of Lambeth Libraries. This will involve a series of open space style events (including one focused around engaging with library staff), a library user survey and an assessment of the non user perspective.

The Commission membership comprises of eight Commissioners and an independent advisor. They are as follows:

• Councillor Florence Nosegbe (Chair)
• Councillor Peter Robbins
• Councillor Jackie Meldrum
• Sue Charteris, Shared Intelligence, professional advisor
• Laura Swaffield, Friends of Lambeth Libraries
• Pam Gray, Friends of Lambeth Libraries
• Dawn Hill, Black Cultural Archives
• Carrie Bishop, FutureGov
• Martin Allyson, Local Government Improvement and Development (Independent advisor)

Purpose and objectives

The purpose of the Commission will be to involve a range of stakeholders and experts in the development of a new approach to the provision of a library service in Lambeth. The Commission will draw on expertise and challenging evidence, to seek out and explore innovative practices that can be used to support the development of different operating models and in connection to the aspiration of the Co-operative Council report which is ambitious in relation to seeking innovative, co-produced solutions.

The specific objectives of the commission are to:

• Develop a proposed vision for Lambeth’s library service that will produce the required savings of £750,000 by April 2014 and the outcomes the service should seek to deliver and/or contribute toward
• Undertake an analysis of citizen-expectations and need which relate to Lambeth's library service
• Develop a proposed service delivery model(s) for the library service which corresponds to the vision of the service and its proposed outcomes. This service delivery model(s) will explore the potential for delivering the library service in partnership with neighbouring authorities, local communities and other public, private and voluntary sector providers
• Building on the work of the Co-operative Council Citizens' Commission propose a range of pilots which would trial co-operative ways of delivering the library service
• Advise on how to move to a library network that is fit for purpose, affordable within the financial envelope, sustainable and able to support the delivery of the Council’s strategic objectives
• Develop a final report for Lambeth Council to consider on the proposed future of the Lambeth Library service, setting out the outcomes that the new model will deliver.

Planned programme of work

The Commission will sit from May 2011 to July 2011. The Commission's work will consist of:

• A tour to see the current library service provided in the borough
• Gathering and considering the expert testimony from policy makers, community representatives, academics and central/local government representatives
• Considering written submissions from a broad range of internal and external experts
• Receiving the results of the community dialogue programme
• Challenging and critiquing various options for the model proposed for the future of the Lambeth Libraries Service
• Reaching a consensus on key issues, including ensuring that the service model proposed is achievable within the financial envelope available
• Reviewing and agreeing the final report of the Commission.

Reporting arrangements

The Commission will present its final report to Cabinet in November 2011.

Attendance

It is envisaged that the Commission will meet during May and June 2011 to receive input from the wide range of stakeholders set out above and develop an interim report on emerging findings for Lambeth Council's Cabinet to consider in July 2011.

The Commission will meet during July to gather further evidence and develop their final report. However, not all Commission members need to be present for evidence to be received; where members are not able to attend, all documentation and related materials will be circulated to them electronically.

Conduct

Before joining the commission, a member shall sign an undertaking that he/she agrees to be bound by the Nolan Principles and Lambeth Council Code of Conduct if they have not already undertaken to do so.

Declaration of interests

A declaration of interest will be completed by all members and substitute members on selection.

Where agenda items may have pecuniary impact on partner's interest then a declaration must be made at the start of the meeting. Partners must then only contribute to the meeting when asked to do so by the chair.

The register of interests will be a public document.