Agenda item

To consider reports on :-

1. Cross Boundary Usage of Library Services
2. Partnership in Service Delivery
3. Fees and Charges 2009/10

These reports are presented to the Advisory Panel to enable Panel Members to be aware of forthcoming Cabinet issues and to contribute views to inform the decision making of the Cabinet.

Reports attached.

Partnership in Service Delivery

          Consideration was given to a report, which was submitted to the Panel to enable Members to contribute views to inform the decision making of the Cabinet.

          It was noted that all the Authorities forming the constituent parts of the new Cheshire East Council currently partnered in different ways, with a wide range of organisations to deliver services to their respective communities.  These could be through either a formal contract, with funds specifically allocated to a service area, or through more general grant funds, which communities could bid into.  The purpose of the report was to seek Cabinet confirmation that, at least for the coming year 2009/10, support to partner organisations would be at a level equivalent to the current 2008/09 year or at a level previously agreed with the current grant giving authority.

          In considering the report Members of the Panel requested that a cross checking exercise take place to establish where grants were paid to partners from more than one of the existing Councils.

       RESOLVED

          That Cabinet be recommended to approve the decision required, as set out in the report:

                   1     That Cheshire East Council consider and agree the level of financial support to existing external service delivery partners be maintained for 2009/10 at current levels.

   2             That it is agreed that all the partnership arrangements be subject to more detailed review in Year 1, to assess cost/outcomes of all individual agreements.

   Cross Boundary Use of Library Services

          Consideration was given to a report, which was submitted to the Panel to enable  Members to contribute views, to inform the decision making of Cabinet.

          The report advised the Panel of issues relating to cross boundary usage of library services, after April 2009 and recommended that there should be cross boundary usage of library services after April 2009 and that officers be instructed to take steps to implement this proposal.

          In considering the report Members of the Panel raised the following issues:-

          (i)      It was considered that the proposal should be supported, however, it was suggested that it might be appropriate to set up a Task Group, in the following year to consider this matter.

(ii)            It was asked whether there was a proposal to issue new separate Cheshire East and Cheshire West library cards on 1 April and officers clarified that there was no such proposal.

          (iii)    It was queried whether mobile libraries would continue on their present routes and it was hoped that this would continue, if possible.  It was reported that an Officer Task and Finish Group was considering the issue of mobile libraries and a report would be submitted to Members, if required.

          (iv)    It was noted that other users of the library service included schools, the Older People and those with mental health problems and this was not referred to in the report.

          (v)     It was suggested that consideration be given to the introduction of the national library card.

          RESOLVED

          That Cabinet be recommended to agree that there should be cross boundary usage for library service users, after 1 April 2009 and that officers be instructed to take steps to implement this proposal.

         Fees and Charges 2009/10

          Consideration was given to a report which was submitted to the Panel to enable Members to contribute views to inform the decision making of the Cabinet.  The purpose of the report was to recommend an approach to setting fees and charges for the Council’s Culture and Leisure Services for 2009/10.

          All the existing Authorities, which formed the new Cheshire East Council, generated income through fees and charges for a range of services and activities.  A comparison had been undertaken of some of the key existing headline fees and charges related to leisure facilities, managed by the existing Authorities and a number of significant anomalies had appeared, details of which were reported.

                In presenting the report, officers suggested that it be recommended to

                Cabinet that the fees and charges for the Council’s Culture and Leisure

                Services be increased by at least the rate of inflation, with other

                increases considered if appropriate.

          (i)      In considering the report, Members made reference to paragraph 7.3, which set out the significant anomalies between the three existing Councils.  It was noted that Crewe offered a junior discount for children under 17 years, whereas the other two local authority areas offered discounts for those under 16 years and it was suggested that Cabinet be recommended to give the discount to children under 17 years, in line with the current situation in Crewe.  It was suggested that it might be more appropriate to extend the concessions, rather than reduce them but further work would need to be carried out to see what the repercussions of this would be.

          (ii)     It was requested that, when consideration was given to the fees and charges, the figures be “rounded up”, to avoid odd pence.

                   RESOLVED

          1       That it be recommended to Cabinet, that the fees and charges for the Council’s Culture and Leisure Services be increased by at least the rate of inflation, with other increases considered if appropriate.

          2       That current arrangements for membership schemes and formal leisure card or other discount schemes remain the same for 2009/10, pending a formal review aimed at harmonisation for the new Authority in 2010/11.

          3       That existing policies in the existing local authority area for discounts applied to the normal headline charges for key target groups be harmonised, as set out in the report.

          4       That a further comprehensive review of fees and charges be carried out for 2010/11, to look at the feasibility of harmonisation of all charges for Culture and Leisure Services, where it is appropriate, across the Cheshire East area.