Issue - meetings

The Committee is asked to note and comment upon a report submitted to Cabinet on 5^th December 2011 in connction with the library service reprovision at the Barons Court site.

A separate report on the exempt agenda relates to the restrictive covenant held on the building.

The Committee noted a report submitted to Cabinet on 5 December 2011 which set out the latest position in respect of the reprovision of the library service at Barons Court. The Council run facility had closed on 31^st December 2011 and a new community library and neighbourhood centre managed and run by Citizens Advice Bureaux volunteers was scheduled to open on the same site in April. The library element, to be situated on half of the upper ground floor, would be self service and was to remain part of the Council’s wider network with stock available to be accessed across the borough. Although the space devoted to the library and the quantity of stock would be slightly reduced, the full range of normal services would continue to be provided, including public internet access. The quality and range of the stock would be higher than previously with a particular focus on children.

Members discussed the value of the continuing provision of newspapers and magazines for users to read at libraries. It was noted that the newspapers were a very popular feature and even the more populist magazines could serve to encourage reading and learning.

It was noted that the opening hours of Barons Court Library were 10am to 5pm rather than 9am to 5pm as had been stated in the report.

That, in order to deliver the MTFS savings for 2011/12 and develop the More Than a Library concept via a community run service, the following actions be approved:

1.            To work with Hammersmith and Fulham Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to deliver a community library (the upper ground floor of Barons Court Library is leased to CAB to use half the space for its principal services and the other half a combined Self Service library and CAB waiting area, managed by CAB volunteers), the duration, rent and other terms of such lease to be as the Assistant Director Building Property Management and the Assistant Director (Legal and Democratic Services) consider appropriate.

2.            To note the financial risks if there continue to be costs associated with the lower ground floor, and issues related to the covenant, as outlined in the exempt report.

3.            That approval be given for an order to be placed under the Measured Term Contract for Non-Housing Projects 2011/2015. This procurement route is based on a framework agreement with three contractors.

4.            That the contract be awarded to Mulalley & Company Limited, at an estimated works cost of  £308,000 (including a contingency of £40,000) to which fees of £47,000 will be added, making a total cost of £355,000. The funding for this project will be met from the Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme 2011/2012 as approved by Cabinet on 7 February 2011 and the agreed protocol for variation as delegated to the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Assistant Director Building and Property Management.

5.            That the site be closed in January 2012 for a period of up to ten weeks (although this will be kept to a minimum), to allow  refurbishment works to take place, with authority delegated to the Cabinet Member for Residents Services, in consultation with the Executive Director of Environment, Leisure and Residents Services, to vary those dates should occasion require.

6.            To continue to draw down from corporate  contingencies the sum of £13k  per month should the site remain open beyond January 2012.