Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 3 June 2008.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion and Advisory Panel held on 3 June 2008 be approved and signed by the Chair and the Executive Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is Monday 14 July 2008 at 5.00pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This reports asks the Executive Member to agree to allocate the £200k fund for investment in community facilities to two community organisations in the Fishergate and Guildhall Wards.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to

(i)          Agree to the £200k fund being spent on grants of:

·         £175k to the Melbourne Centre

·         £25k to Space 109

subject to the conditions set out in paragraphs 28 and 29 of the report.

(ii)              That updates on progress be included as part of financial   monitoring reports to EMAP.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To provide excellent community facilities in the vicinity of the Barbican, in line with the Council’s approved Leisure Facilities Strategy.

Members considered a report which sought approval to allocate the £200k fund for investment in community facilities to two community organisations in the Fishergate and Guildhall Wards.

The £200kk fund was a Leisure and Culture capital programme scheme funded by part of the proceeds of sale of the Kent Street site, taken in lieu  of the developer building a new community facility on the redeveloped site.  Three bids had been received - from the Melbourne Centre, Space 109 and UpStage Youth Theatre, 41 Monkgate.  Details of these bids were set out in the report.  

The bids had been examined against the criteria agreed by the Executive for allocation of the fund, as detailed in paragraph 3 of the report.  The Melbourne Centre bid met all the criteria and in particular would lever significant lottery funding.  The bid from Space 109 (Walmgate’s community arts venture) broadly met the criteria, although it was not yet clear whether it would lever in external funding.  The UpStage Youth Theatre bid did not meet the criteria, in that it was not a capital bid and the facility was not in the immediate vicinity of the Barbican.  It was therefore proposed to allocate £180k to the Melbourne Centre and £20k to Space 109.  Officers would work with the Upstage Youth Theatre to try to identify alternative sources of funding for their needs.

Members agreed to change the split in funds to £175k and £25k to allow Space 109 some contingency funds. Officers suggested and Members agreed to receive regular updates on progress as part of the financial monitoring reports to EMAP.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)            Agree to the £200k fund being spent on grants of:

·           £175k to the Melbourne Centre

·           £25k to Space 109

subject to the conditions set out in paragraphs 28 and 29 of the report.

(ii)              Agree that updates on progress be included as part of financial   monitoring reports to EMAP.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To provide excellent community facilities in the vicinity of the Barbican, in line with the Council’s approved Leisure Facilities Strategy.

This report seeks the agreement of the Executive Member to the future transformation of York Library into an Explore Centre in line with the scrutiny report on the Library Service and as part of the cultural quarter development.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to  approve

(i)                 The principles and priorities of the scheme

(ii)               The expenditure of £95k of the Leisure and Culture budget on this   scheme

(iii)             The views of Members’ on the areas for discussion

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To enable phase one of the work to begin.

Members considered a report which sought approval for the future transformation of York Library into an Explore Centre, in line with the Scrutiny report on the Library Service agreed by the Executive in 2005.

The Library Service, working in partnership with Adult and Community Education, had developed the concept of library learning centres on the basis of the Scrutiny Board’s ‘vision’ as set out in their report.  The concept was outlined in the document 21^st Century Learning: 21^st Century Libraries, attached as Annex A to the report.  It was planned to introduce learning centres at York, Acomb, New Earswick, Clifton, Haxby and Tang Hall libraries.  The first ‘explore’ centre had been opened at Acomb in February 2008 and had proved very successful, with a large increase in usage.  The second centre would open at New Earswick on 26 June 2008.  Planning had now begun for the next centre, at York’s central library.  This would be a major transformation, costing in total around £5m.

Key principles already established for explore centres, and suggested actions to begin the transformation of York Library, were set out in paragraphs 13 and 14 of the report.  Members’ views were invited on these proposed actions, with particular regard to:

·        What services the centre should offer to young people

·        What should be done with certain collections donated to the library

·        Where the café should be located

·        How to create a modern library space in a Grade II listed building.

Members discussed the following:

• The difficulties surrounding converting the central library given its listed building status. It was the general consensus that the building did need modernising and that a plan needed putting in place to enable this and progress the idea.

• The viability of raising extra capital and creating extra space by auctioning or donating under used collections such as the Marriott Books and Oboe Music Collections.

• Areas of the central library which could be used in a better way. Members would like to see more exhibition space, and the children’s library to be integrated into the main body of the library. It was suggested the area at the top of the stairs could be used as a café.

Members suggested that a plan for the modernisation of the central library should be in place in case funding did suddenly become available. Members briefly discussed the possibility of a new library building in a different location but this would be too costly.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

(i)                 Approve the principles and priorities of the scheme;

(ii)               Approve the expenditure of £95k of the Leisure and Culture budget on the scheme;

(iii)             Note the views expressed by Members on the areas discussed, as recorded above.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To enable phase one of the work to begin.

This report asks the Executive Member to approve the principles of a new library stock policy.

Advice of Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised  to agree to:

(i)                 The principles of the stock policy

(ii)               Delegate to officers the drawing up of the final document

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      In order that purchasing and management of stock will be more  effective by reflecting the needs of local communities.

Members considered a report, which sought approval for the principles of a new stock policy for York’s Libraries.

The library service would like to increase the level of satisfaction for the library service by involving communities in York in the stock selection process. The aim is to hold stock that supports those wishing to learn is also attractive to leisure readers.

Key principles for the stock policy were set out in paragraph 4. Members were invited to comment on these proposed actions with particular regard to:

• How the library service should consult members of the public regarding the stock, which is held in libraries.
• Ways to display and promote stock.
• How to ensure that the library stock matches the needs of the communities it serves.

Members discussed the possibility of the library stocking e books, and books in a foreign language to widen the choice of stock available. Members commented that it would be worthwhile speaking to minority communities to find out what they would like to see in York’s libraries.

Advice of Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to agree to:

(i)                            The principles of the stock policy

(ii)                          Delegate to officers the drawing up of the final document

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:    That the advice of the Advisory panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:         In order that purchasing and management of stock will be more effective by reflecting the needs of local communities.

This report asks the Executive Member to agree the principle of the library service generating additional revenue through commercial contracts.

Advice of Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be asked to agree to the principle of the library service generating additional revenue through commercial contracts, subject to a report back indicating proposed guidelines for officers and looking at the possibilities for other council buildings as well.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:      To enable the service to investigate this income stream further.

Members considered a report which asked the Executive Member to agree to the principle of the library service generating additional revenue through commercial contracts.

Income generation was increasingly important for all Council services.  In the library service, there were problems with current income sources.  Hire of DVDs and CDs had declined, and overdue charges had been identified as a major barrier to library use.  It was therefore proposed that the service enter a contract with a managing agent to provide advertising in libraries, over a period of five years.  Authorities in Somerset and Leeds had already taken this approach and both had recommended it.

If approved in principle, the first stage would be an audit of buildings to identify commercial opportunities, at a cost of about £12k, followed by the preparation of media packs.  Commercial opportunities would be sent to the service, which would retain control over which opportunities were agreed to.

Members agreed in principle with the proposal. They highlighted the need to consider carefully what is advertised and where and would like officers to provide further information to help them make any future decisions.

Advice of Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be asked to agree to the principle of the library service generating additional revenue through commercial contracts, subject to a report back indicating proposed guidelines for officers and looking at the possibilities for other council buildings as well.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:      To enable the service to investigate this income stream further.

This report recommends the production of a Heritage Strategy for York. As heritage is a cross-directorate subject this report is also to be considered by the Executive Members for City Strategy and Advisory Panel.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to approve the approach set out in Option 2 to produce a draft Heritage Strategy for the City, taking into account the points made by members regarding engaging York residents in local history and heritage.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON: To involve all stakeholders in the production of a draft heritage strategy for the city. 

Members considered a report which recommended the production of a Heritage Strategy for York, suggesting an overall aim for the Strategy, a definition of Heritage in York and a framework and timetable for production of the Strategy.

Although the Council had a well-developed policy framework for the historic environment, there was no Heritage Strategy to provide a strategic overview for York’s heritage.  Guidance at regional and national level suggested that local authorities should produce a strategic framework.  The publication in January of a draft Regional Heritage Strategy for Yorkshire and the Humber and concerns expressed by English Heritage provided further impetus for the production of a Strategy in York. 

The starting point for the Heritage Strategy would be the Sustainable Community Strategy, York, A City Making History.  Heritage ran through most of the seven themes in this document, as well as within the Council’s refreshed Corporate Strategy.  It was suggested that four workshops be set up in September and October 2008 to examine the four proposed themes in the Strategy - Visitors and Tourism, Training and Learning, the Historic Environment and Cultural Involvement.  Each heritage organisation in the City would be invited to take part.  A consultation draft of the Strategy would be brought to Executive Members in December 2008 and a final version in May 2009.

Members discussed the potential risk of disengaging York residents by seeing Heritage as something that is just for visitors.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to approve the approach set out in Option 2 to produce a draft Heritage Strategy for the City, taking into account the points made by members regarding engaging York residents in local history and heritage.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON: To involve all stakeholders in the production of a draft heritage strategy for the city.