Issue - meetings

Councillor Subedar submits a report asking the Cabinet to consider recommendations arising from the above review.  The views of the Education and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee will be reported to the meeting.

Councillor Subedar submitted a report detailing the recommendations arising from a review of Leicester City Libraries and Information Services.  Councillor Subedar also reported the views of the Education and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee as follows:-

i)            Support for the vision contained in the Review Report.

ii)            Reinforcement of the commitment to adequate revenue support to implement the Review.

iii)            Underlined the need for sufficient short term capital to implement the Review.

iv)        A clear commitment to the early development of a new Central Library.

v)            Requests a six month report on the progress of the implementation of the Review.

vi)            Requests a report on the Record Office through Libraries Best Value Review.

vii)       Calls on the Education Department to initiate a survey of school library budget arrangements.

David Williams from UNISON circulated a paper detailing the Union's comments and he also addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(1)that the views of Scrutiny be endorsed;

(2)that category 1 recommendations be utilised as a contribution to the department's revenue budget strategy for 2001/02;

(3)that categories 2 and 3 recommendations for the redirection of resources and more effective use of existing resources to implement service delivery initiatives detailed in the report, under the Director's delegated powers in consultation with the Cabinet Lead be approved; and

(4)that category 4 recommendations be built into the Arts and Leisure Department's three year budget strategy as detailed in the report, submitting future details each year within the department's proposed revenue budget strategies 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05.