RENFREWSHIRE COUNCILDifficult Choices for Difficult Times

McKillop Institute, Lochwinnoch

24 November 2011

Purpose of the Meeting

• To begin implementation of the decisions of council on 4 November 2010

• Engage with the community to develop the new library space for users

Difficult Choices for Difficult Times

The next financial year presents significant financial challenges for the Council.

The Council anticipates these financial challenges will remain for the foreseeable future.

What does this mean for Renfrewshire?

• Likely to mean an annual revenue grant cut in cash terms for Renfrewshire for each of next 3 years

• Total budget pressures of up to £30 million per year anticipated

• Funding gap could range from £55 million to £90 million for next 3 years

The challenges ahead/ impact of the recession on public spending

• Significant cuts in Government funding anticipated for the future, which is likely to mean cash cuts in real terms for the council over the next 3 years.

• Cost and demand pressures on services adding to the funding gap (ex. services to the elderly, children’s services etc.)

Dealing with the challenge

• We believe that the difficult decisions that have been taken will enable these challenges to be tackled.

• This includes a comprehensive review of the council’s asset and property portfolio.

Asset Management Overview• Operational Property Review (non-housing)

- Matching service needs v property requirements

• Analysis of asset performance- Utilisation, condition, suitability, running costs etc- Property running costs 2009/10: circa £22.6m- Building condition surveys commissioned

• Best Value Requirement- Identify under used / poorly performing assets- Examine alternative models of service delivery &

opportunities for co-location - Asset rationalisation - Prioritise investment in retained estate

Performance of Libraries

Lochwinnoch Library was considered for re-location according to the following performance criteria:

• Total loans• Stock usage statistics• PC bookings• Library visits• Total transactions

Performance of LibrariesLochwinnoch is amongst the least used libraries in Renfrewshire in terms of loans and visits with a decreasing trend in the use of library services.

  Total Change     Total change

  loans from     visits from

  2009/10previous year     2009/10

previous year

Johnstone 149992 -1%   Paisley Central 143907 12%

Paisley Central 143542 -2%   Johnstone 134856 -14%

Renfrew 95792 3%   Renfrew 76517 -17%

Erskine 80454 6%   Erskine 71821 -11%

Glenburn 59431 1%   Ferguslie 50369 14%

Foxbar 34044 3%   Glenburn 42420 3%

Linwood 32640 -3%   Bishopton 29031 19%

Bishopton 28794 -3%   Foxbar 25011 35%

Bridge of Weir 27623 -5%   Bridge of Weir 23623 -5%

Ralston 25078 -2%   Linwood 23067 -18%

Lochwinnoch 21981 -2% Lochwinnoch 22764 -22%Ferguslie 20428 10%   Ralston 13429 -20%

Total 719799 1% Total 656815 -4%

Ferguslie Library and Ralston Library are already co-located with other services.

Performance of LibrariesLochwinnoch is amongst the least used libraries in Renfrewshire in terms of PC bookings and total transactions, with a decreasing trend in the use of library services.

  Total Change   Total Change

  PC bookings from   transactions from

  2009/10 previous year   2009/10 previous year

Paisley Central 22442 -1.0%   Paisley Central 309891 4%

Johnstone 14378 -5.0%   Johnstone 299226 -8%

Renfrew 10479 -3.0%   Renfrew 182788 -7%

Ferguslie 8295 24.0%   Erskine 156421 -3%

Erskine 4146 -22.0%   Glenburn 105119 1%

Glenburn 3268 -17.0%   Ferguslie 79092 14%

Linwood 3197 -29.0%   Foxbar 61220 14%

Bishopton 2217 -23.0%   Bishopton 60042 6%

Foxbar 2165 -2.0% Linwood 58904 -11%

Lochwinnoch 1783 -46.0%  Bridge of Weir 52458 -6%

Bridge of Weir 1212 -36.0%   Lochwinnoch 46528 -15%

Ralston 667 -11.0%   Ralston 39174 -9%

Total 74249 -7.0%   Total  1450863 -2%

Ralston Library is already co-located with other services and Bridge of Weir will be co-located from 2011.

Performance of Libraries

The council agreed to retain library services in Lochwinnoch but to provide a more compact, contemporary library, which will provide a more efficient, cost effective service.

The library will co-locate with the McKillop Institute, generating more efficiencies in terms of property costs, operational costs and cleaning, caretaking.

Usage Summary for Lochwinnoch Library 2009/10

 

Total loans

2009/10 2009/10

21981 -2%

Total PC bookings

2009/10 2009/10

1783 -46%

Total visits

2009/10 2009/10

22764 -22%

Total transactions

2009/10 2009/10

46528 -15%

PC bookings dropped by 46% between 2008/09 and 2009/10

Total visits dropped by 22% between 2008/09 and 2009/10

Total transactions dropped by 15% between 2008/09 and 2009/10

Total loans dropped by 2% between 2008/09 and 2009/10

Stock usage statistics for Lochwinnoch Library stock figures at July 2010

Adult paperback fiction stock

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year  

Adult hardback fiction stock

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year  

Adult non-fiction stock

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year

                     

1724 259 15%   1146 88 8%   2177 905 42%

Junior stock

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year  

Adult large print stock 

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year  

Adult talking book stock

Number not loaned in previous  year

Percentage not loaned in previous year

                     

2759 791 29%   413 121 29%   285 113 40%

Stock not loaned in previous year

42% of non-fiction books not loaned

40% of talking books not loaned

29% of junior books not loaned

29% of large print books not loaned

Developing the new library space

VISION - libraries to become the community hub with more integration with other leisure and council services.

• The library will provide adult and childrens books, large print books and talking books.

• Public PCs will be provided. PCs will also be available for online information and access to the library catalogue.

• Other meeting spaces in the McKillop Institute will be used for library activities.

Developing the new library space• The library space will be predominantly paperback

to enhance choice of titles in a smaller space.

• The library will of course contain best-selling current hardback titles.

• Customers will have access to the full stock of Renfrewshire Libraries via the book request service. (requests will be offered free of charge)

• Design of the library will be based on a modern book retail environment, making the best use of space.

• Tea/ coffee facilities will be available for customers.

Developing the new library space

Community engagement

• Tonight’s meeting can involve discussions with other library users where you will have an opportunity to share your ideas and views on developing the new library space, including:

• reviewed opening hours

• stock selection (books, magazines, newspapers?)

• how many PCs?

• library design

• library events/ activities

What happens next?

• Work will begin to design the new library space within the McKillop Institute

• Develop a library user forum

• Progress will be shared with the community.

• Current library services will continue unchanged while work on the new library space develops.

• The relocation of the library to the McKillop Institute will be completed by the end of June 2011.

QUESTIONSand

ANSWERS