Issue - meetings

The Corporate Director of Children, Education and Communities to present a report which seeks authority to initiate the procurement process for the operation of the council’s library and archives service.

Note:  Parts of Annex A to the above report (appendices 1 and 2) have been published online only and are not included in the printed agenda pack.

Resolved:  (i)      That the outcome of the public consultation conducted between November 2017 and February 2018 be noted.

                   (ii)      That the key aspects of the service specification for the new contract set out in paragraphs 14 to 20 of the report be approved.

                   (iii)     That the term of the contract be 15 years, with an option for a 5 year extension.

                   (iv)    That the financial framework for the contract set out in paragraphs 21 to 30 of the report be approved.

                   (v)     That a ‘Sinking Fund’ of £147,000 per annum be established from existing budgets and used to address the council’s building maintenance liabilities over the term of the contract.

                   (vi)    That the recommended price/quality split of 40% price, 60%% quality, as set out in paragraph 35, be approved for use in the evaluation.

                   (vii)    That authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Education & Communities to:

a)   develop and implement the procurement framework as set out in the report, including establishing the final evaluation criteria and headline weightings to be used in assessing bids, and

b)   award the contract at the end of the process, provided the price is within budget.

Reason:     To enable the council to meet its statutory duty with regard to the provision of library services.

The Assistant Director of Communities and Equalities presented a report which sought approval to begin the procurement process for the operation of the council’s library and archives service, currently run by Explore Libraries and Archives Mutual Limited (‘Explore’).

The five year contract awarded to Explore in 2014 would come to an end on 31 March 2019, so a tendering process must be carried out.  As required, a Comprehensive Assessment of Need, attached as Annex A to the report, had been prepared.  This had been informed by the results of a public consultation, York’s demographics, the council’s objectives and the current service.  It culminated in a vision for the service, as set out in paragraph 12.  A 15 year contract was proposed.  The service specification, detailed in Annex B, set out how the vision would be realised.  It was proposed to lease the existing buildings to the operator and to set an affordability limit for tenders based on the existing budget, amounting to £31,980m over 15 years.  Members were asked to decide the percentage price/quality split for the tender evaluation, based on the options and recommendation in paragraph 35.

The Executive Member for Leisure, Culture & Tourism welcomed the continuing investment in the city’s libraries and the positive public response to consultation.

Resolved:  (i)      That the outcome of the public consultation conducted between November 2017 and February 2018 be noted.

                   (ii)      That the key aspects of the service specification for the new contract set out in paragraphs 14 to 20 of the report be approved.

                   (iii)     That the term of the contract be 15 years, with an option for a 5 year extension.

                   (iv)    That the financial framework for the contract set out in paragraphs 21 to 30 of the report be approved.

                   (v)     That a ‘Sinking Fund’ of £147,000 per annum be established from existing budgets and used to address the council’s building maintenance liabilities over the term of the contract.

                   (vi)    That the recommended price/quality split of 40% price, 60%% quality, as set out in paragraph 35, be approved for use in the evaluation.

                   (vii)    That authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Education & Communities to:

a)   develop and implement the procurement framework as set out in the report, including establishing the final evaluation criteria and headline weightings to be used in assessing bids, and

b)   award the contract at the end of the process, provided the price is within budget.

Reason:     To enable the council to meet its statutory duty with regard to the provision of library services.