Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any person 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.

None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on8 December 2009.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the Decision Session – Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion meeting held on 8 December 2009 be signed and approved as a correct record by the Chair.

It had been reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

A Unison Representative spoke on item 4, 21^st Century Learning: 21^st Century Libraries Taking the Vision Forward.

She informed Members that she had been in consultation with the Head of Library Services regarding the staffing structures and had made her representations to him. She confirmed that the report had many positive outcomes such as:

·        The Archive and Library Service would be a fully integrated team

·        The re-introducing of Librarians into the Service

·        Learning opportunities available for adults, older people and people with learning disabilities

She also discussed the issues that still needed to be addressed such as:

• Children and Young People were not mentioned in the report.
• Job descriptions. Staff should be given additional time to speak on their job description.
• Concerns on grades of some of the posts.
• Concerns on the regrades and costings.
• More training for staff and management.

This report asks the Executive Members to agree new staffing structures for the Library and Archive Service and the Adult and Community Education Service.

RESOLVED:             i)          That the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion approves the new staffing             structure for the Library and Archive Service set out in Annex A.

ii)  That the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services approves the new staffing structure for the Adult and Community Education Services set out in Annex B.

Reason: So that the 21^st Century Learning; 21^st Century Libraries vision may be taken forward effectively.

The Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services joined the meeting for this item only.

The Executive Members considered a report that asked them to agree the new staffing structures for the Library and Archive Service.

Officers gave a brief update and thanked the Unison Rep for her comments and for her consultation throughout this process.  In answer to some of her questions officers confirmed that the report did not cover Children and Young people because the remit was to take adult learning forward although Children and Young people would still be a key part of the delivery.  She confirmed that  training would be available to staff as a designated post had been put in place to deliver training and they would have a strong commitment to management training.

The Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services stated that she would continue to work with officers to take this forward.  She addressed her support for adult learning and how e-learning would be a good way for adults and adults with disabilities to access learning.

The Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion thanked offices for the work they had done on this vision, which had proved to be a real success story in the city.  He stated that residents would be given a greater variety of provision and a real opportunity to shape their own learning within their communities. He felt the restructure would show a real benefit to residents and staff and it would allow staff to spend more time with the customer.  He confirmed his support for the new posts and agreed that the Business Development Manager should address the ongoing issue with revenue income.

Both Members welcomed the secured future of the Bookstart project.

RESOLVED:             i)          That the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion approves the new staffing             structure for the Library and Archive Service set out in Annex A.

ii)  That the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services approves the new staffing structure for the Adult and Community Education Services set out in Annex B.

Reason: So that the 21^st Century Learning; 21^st Century Libraries vision may be taken forward effectively.

This report asks the Executive Member to agree to allocate the remaining £175k of the £200k Community Facilities fund to take forward a revised scheme to refurbish the Melbourne Centre for community use.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Member agrees to defer this item until the next meeting.

Reason: To allow further discussions to take place with Blueberry Academy in order to seek clarification regarding the core activities that they propose and their business plan

Officers requested that this item be deferred to allow further discussions to take place with Blueberry Academy in order to seek clarification regarding the core activities that they propose and their business plan.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Member agrees to defer this item until the next meeting.

Reason: To allow further discussions to take place with Blueberry Academy in order to seek clarification regarding the core activities that they propose and their business plan

This report asks the Executive Member to agree to extend the objects of the William Reed Trust to include conservation of fossils and to agree to spend the trust’s permanent endowment as well as the accrued  interest.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Member agrees to:

i)                    change the charitable objectives of the William Reed Trust to include conservation of fossils

ii)                  spend the fund’s endowment as well as the accrued interest.

Reason:  To facilitate conservation of the Ichthyosaur in the collection of the Yorkshire Museum.

The Executive Member considered a report that asked him to agree to extend the objects of the William Reed Trust to include conservation and spend the trust’s permanent endowment as well as the accrued interest using the powers provided by sections 75a and 74c of the Charities Act 1993 as altered by the Charities Act 2006.

Officers confirmed that the Trust had been in place since 1892 and very little had been spent from the fund since 1987 which is why the interest had accumulated to just over £18,000. He confirmed that the York Museum Trust were proposing to conserve the Ichthyosaur fossil, a giant sea-creature, as part of the redisplay of the Yorkshire Museum. It is estimated the cost of this process will be in excess of £20K.  Officers confirmed that the Museum would raise the additional funding. 

RESOLVED:  The Executive Member agreed to:

.

i)                    change the charitable objectives of the William Reed Trust to include conservation of fossils using the powers provided by sections 74c of the Charities Act 1993 as altered by the Charities Act 2006

ii)                  spend the fund’s endowment as well as the accrued interest using the powers provided by sections 75a of the Charities Act 1993 as altered by the Charities Act 2006.

Reason:  To facilitate conservation of the Ichthyosaur in the collection of the Yorkshire Museum.