service improvement and finance scrutiny performance panel · chris howells – head of waste...

Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel

Date: December 9th 2015 Time: 11.00 – 13.00

Venue: Committee Room 6 The Guildhall

Summary: This is an agenda pack for a meeting of the Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel taking place on the 9th December 2015. The main items on the agenda are. Background reports are included.

Members of the Panel: Councillor Chris Holley(Panel Convener) Councillor Mary Jones Councillor Paxton Hood-Williams Councillor Jeff Jones Councillor Phil Downing Councillor Des Thomas

Councillor Tony Colburn Councillor Lynda James Councillor Joe Hale Councillor David Cole Councillor Keith Marsh

Attending: Tracey McNulty – Head of Cultural Services Steve Hardman – Library Services Manager Chris Howells – Head of Waste Management & Parks Operations Ian Whettleton Group Leader Waste Management Chris Williams – Head of Commercial Services Andrew Williams – Procurement Officer Simon Mason – Procurement Officer

Copy of agenda for information to: Dean Taylor – Director of Corporate Services Phil Roberts – Director of Place Mike Hawes – Head of Finance & Delivery Lee Wenham – Head of Communications & Customer Engagement Paul Beynon – Chief Internal Auditor

AGENDA No. Item 1. Apologies2. Declarations of interests3. Meeting notes 11th November and matters arising4. Welsh Public Library Standards – Annual Performance Report

Tracey McNulty – Head Of Cultural ServicesSteve Hardman – Library Services Manager

5. Recycling and Landfill – Annual Performance Monitoring

Chris Howells – Head of Waste Management & Parks Operations

Ian Whettleton – Group Leader Waste Management6. Commercial Services and Procurement

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Chris Williams – Head of Commercial Services

Andrew Williams & Simon Mason – Procurement Officers.

7 Annual Review of Performance

Cllr Chris Holley, Convener of the Panel 8 For information:

1. UNCRC summary note re: Councillor Seminar on 29 Oct 20152. Convener’s Letter to Chief Executive of Swansea BID3. Convener’s Letter to Swansea Bay Business Club4. Convener’s Letter to Chamber of Commerce

Appendix A Updated work plan 2015/16

Appendix B – Fifth Quality Framework of Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-2017

***Please note members should declare personal and prejudicial interests and party whipping in the usual manner***

Contact: Karen Bewen-Chappell Scrutiny Officer

01792 636292 Email: [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]

Libraries making a difference: The fifth quality framework of Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-2017

Report to Scrutiny December 2015

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Item 4.1

The Welsh Public Library Standards measure the performance of library services across Wales.

The Welsh Public Library Standards allow Welsh Government to assess whether library services in Wales are complying with their duties under the Public Libraries and Museums Act of 1964. They also assess the efficiency of the delivery of library services in Wales.

Libraries making a difference

"Libraries making a difference" is the 5th Welsh Public Library Standards framework. The previous 4 frameworks have helped local authorities in Wales to improve in a number of areas. We have issued the 5th framework to continue this work.

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Benefits of the framework

The framework encourages local authorities to ensure that the public can benefit from:

• the provision of suitable and appropriateaccess to public library service points

• a suitable and appropriate range of materialsand activities available

• access to adequate levels of staffing and askilled workforce

• adequate capital investment in buildings,effective ICT and efficient managementssystems for their library service.

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The new framework incorporates three main elements:

• A set of 18 Core Entitlements forWelsh citizens (WPLSCE’s)

• A set of 16 Quality Indicators(WPLSQI’s) of which 7 have adesignated target status.

• Impact indicators based on casestudies and links to Council andWelsh Government priorities

These are divided into 4 key areas:

• Customers & Communities• Access for all• Learning for life• Leadership & development

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Please note – this is the first year of the framework and as such some definitions are still being sought from Welsh Government and there is some discussion as to whether the data is robust in some areas.

Swansea Assessment Report 2014-15 Executive summary

Swansea Library Services met all of the 18 core entitlements in full.

Of the 7 Quality Indicators with targets, the Service achieved 3 in full and 4 in part.

The overall assessment by Welsh Government stated:

‘Good performance in some areas, for example, the percentage of active customers per capita, is unfortunately offset against declining performance in key areas of stock, computers and staffing. Additional commentary in the return may have provided more information about the context and circumstances of budget cuts.’

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Specific Scrutiny Panel questions

1 Specific activities and achievements

Full compliance with the core customer entitlements

% of adults who think the library service is ‘very good’ or ‘good’ 99% % of adults who experience the library as an enjoyable safe and inclusive place 98% % of adults who think that the library has made a difference to their lives 87%

% of children aged 7-16 who think the library helps them learn and find things out 95% % of children aged 7-16 who think the library has made a difference to their lives 73%

In October alone libraries ran over 260 adult events 250 children’s events with over 10,000 people attending

These covered things such as craft, local history talks, story times, rhyme times, IT classes, health & lifestyle events etc.

Even though the Book Fund has been reduced customer satisfaction has increased from 89% to 93% possibly due to the introduction of new collections management software and increased use of inter library loan schemes.

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Every Child a Library Member (ECALM)

Welsh libraries and primary schools joined forces to provide every primary school child with a free library card - starting with children aged 8/9 (Year 4). The project was initiated at Killay library were it won a major marketing award for its innovative engagement with teachers and pupils

The project supports children by introducing them to their public library and associated benefits including:

• FREE fiction, non-fiction, comics, graphic novels and talking books• FREE homework help - online and in the library• FREE e-books and e-magazines• FREE computer use and internet access• Clubs, games, events, activities and classes in the library• Friendly, helpful library staff• Somewhere safe to meet friends

This project also compliments the Welsh Government’s 'Make Time to Read' campaign, just 10 minutes reading a day can make a big difference. Reading books at home will help you enjoy reading and can raise performance at school. Last year was the second year of the scheme with participants from 16 local authorities taking part. 2872 children took part across all the primary schools in Swansea and 888 new members were enrolled.

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Summer Reading Challenge 14-15

Children's reading can 'dip' during the long summer holidays. The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged 4 to 11 to read six books during the long summer holiday. Swansea also runs a Reading Challenge for its younger customers.

Last year saw over 2200 5-11 year olds participate in the scheme along with a further 1154 children under 5 joining in.

The service also recruited 19 young adult volunteers to support the project each of which gained valuable experience that could be used in their CV’s and university applications etc.

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Case studies

The new framework asks for up to four case studies that outline the impact which libraries have on an individual, or on a group of individuals, during the year. Further details of the case studies can be found in the Scrutiny papers provided.

Supporting a child with dyslexia

Comment from a parent:

….the most important thing about our local library though is the relationship that has been established between the staff and my daughter, they have been amazing, have understood her requirements and over the past months have helped us source excellent books that fit her needs. This has been so efficient that not only has she begun to enjoy reading and read whole books on her own but she got top grades for reading in the national school tests. As a result she is no longer in need of extra help at school with reading and writing and has gone up a reading group in her class, which has tremendously boosted her confidence. I am convinced that our local library has been instrumental in this achievement and that we would not be where we are today without the staff and resources we benefited from.

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Supporting pupil attainment

The service believes that children who engage and use their local libraries frequently will benefit and gain higher attainment levels at school however the service currently has no way of validating this with any statistical analysis. Responses from teachers such as the one below do however help substantiate the services aims.

“The library plays a very important role within our school community. The ECALM project has proved to be a huge success amongst our Year 4 pupils, with an increasing number of pupils now attending the library outside school hours. This has had a great impact on pupils reading and attitudes towards ‘reading for pleasure’. The Year 4 pupils also enjoy the weekly visits to the library which no doubt builds upon the reading activities taking place in the classroom, and nurtures the love of books and literature”.

(Cilâ Primary School)

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My name is Aoife- Mae Maddock, I have been going to the library ever since I was tiny! Every one of the stories I read inspired me to become a writer myself one day, I can't think of a better place to spend time! Getting to the second round of The Five Hundred Words Competition is an achievement I'll never forget, and I don't think it would have happened without this Library! A library is such a good place for children and adults to read and learn, I know I am not the first or only person to be inspired by this library, I hope it will go on inspiring people for many, many years to come!!

Clydach Library Customer

Aoife goes on to say that although she didn’t make the final fifty she is not deterred and will be trying again next year. On a final note library staff were also involved in helping to judge Radio 2’s ‘Five hundred words challenge’ again contributing to children’s literacy in the widest sense.

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Supporting vulnerable people

Mandy lives at Celtic Dawn Care home for adults. She has a learning disability and care needs. For over 2 years she has been coming along to the library’s knitting group where she has greatly improved her knitting skills but more importantly the members of the group have become her friends and supported her needs. The staff at the home who escort Mandy to the library say that without groups like this Mandy wouldn’t have the chance to integrate in the community.

‘When I moved into Penlan I was living on my own, I didn’t know anyone else in the area. I visited the library regularly and slowly started to engage in groups and activities that are provided there. Coming to the library has made my life much happier, I have made great friends and learnt new skills from attending the monthly craft sessions and my confidence as grown. I have recently started a Foodwise health and wellbeing course in the library, this is helping me maintain a healthy lifestyle with information and guidance on portion sizes, nutrition, exercise and healthy recipe ideas. I can already feel the benefit and am enjoying taking part in the course and meeting new people.’

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2 Key decisions that have been taken and impact / difference made

The service uses two key documents to support service improvement and aid decision making.

• Delivering for Swansea (Corporate Improvement Plan)• Libraries Inspire : The strategic development framework for Welsh libraries

2012-16

The service aligns decision making based on its interpretation of the two documents.

Last year saw the implementation of individual library business plans based on the above which feed into the wider Libraries Business plan.

At a recent Welsh Government seminar in relation the Welsh Public Library Standards, Swansea Library Services were commended on how the service is managed in relation to local and national priorities.

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Areas of non compliance with WPLS targets

WPLS QI8 - Acquisitions per 1000 pop

Target Actual Target items 243 205 Target spend £2,180 £1,868

As per MTFP a further £75,000 was removed from the budget in 15-16. Another £97,000 will be removed in 16-17.

WPLS QI9 – Appropriate reading materials

Target Actual % of material budget spent of Welsh 4% 1.5% Total spend on Welsh per capita £750 £248

Welsh stock is targeted predominantly at Welsh Learners and Children. The demand for Welsh is low and stock is concentrated mainly at Central, Morriston and Clydach. However all libraries do have small collections which are regularly changed. Currently only 0.4% of adult issues are Welsh and 3.3% of children’s issues.

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Areas of non compliance with WPLS targets

WPLS QI10 – Online access

Target Actual Computers per population 0.9 0.7 Wi-Fi provision 100% 94%

ICT budgets are being reduced and the service also believes that less IT is required now that the majority of its site are Wi-Fi enabled. Only Bonymaen does not have Wi-Fi due to in the main to its size.

WPLS QI13 – Staffing levels and qualifications

Target Actual Professionally qualified staff per capita 0.65 0.44

Qualified staff are used strategically and were centralised about eight years ago to make better use of their specialist skills. The service considers this a better way of using this type of staff resource. We are however currently the lowest resourced authority in this area per capita.

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3 What you hope to achieve over the next 12 months and what the challenges are (e.g. resources / budget etc)

What we hope to achieve • Business as usual• Continue to deliver ‘a comprehensive and efficient service’ in line with the

1964 Act• ICT upgrades inc. self issue replacements• Major consultation and engagement exercises• Increased partnership working• Meet current MTFP requirements• Maintain satisfaction rate in difficult climate

Challenges ahead • Managing customers and council’s expectations• Endeavour to meet WPLS, Corporate & National priorities• Further budget reductions in light of ongoing Commissioning Reviews• Continue to deliver ‘a comprehensive and efficient service’ in line with

the 1964 Act

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4 Any specific issues were you would welcome the involvement of Scrutiny?

• Help to ensure an understanding of the wider role libraries play within theircommunities.

• Continued scrutiny around performance – this gives officers a chance toexplain decisions to a wider audience.

• Support in the future for the difficult decisions ahead.

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CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales

The fifth quality framework for Welsh public libraries

April 2014 to March 2017

Annual return pro-forma: Year ending 31 March 2015Guidance notes

Context

Core entitlements

Quality indicators

SubmissionWhen completed, the return should be submitted via email to CyMAL: [email protected]

Closing date for receipt of returns:

For more information please contact: Alyson [email protected]

0300 062 2103 (direct line)0300 062 2112 (CyMAL main number)

For those standards with quantitative targets, values are compared to the target set, and an indication given of whether or not that standard has been met. Space has been provided for comment; authorities failing to meet targets will be prompted to use this space to detail any mitigating circumstances, and plans for future improvement.A comparative figure for the year ending 31 March 2014 should be provided for each annually reported PI. Space is provided for authorities to comment on any decline in their performance over the previous year.

The return is to be made over three worksheets, together with a Word document. Authorities should take note of the following:

This sheet deals with the 18 core entitlements for the public. Authorities should select their (self-assessed) level of compliance from the drop-down box, and provide further information as required in the space provided.

The Definitions and guidelines for data collection and reporting document provides guidance for completing the return.

Only those cells where data are required can be selected; other areas of the return are shaded. The tab key can be used to move to the next available cell.

This sheet requires some descriptive details for the authority, and contact details for the person to whom any queries should be addressed.

This sheet covers the 16 public library standard quality indicators. For some indicators authorities are required to enter the raw data from which quantitative standards are derived; calculation will then take place automatically.

Where data are included in the annual public library actuals return to CIPFA, the same figure should be used for this return.

CyMAL reserves the right to request evidence of the information provided in the return to assist with the assessment process.

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Item 4.2



2

Contextual data Year ending 31 March 2015

Authority City and County of Swansea

Resident population 240,332

Percentage of population aged under 16 17.3%

Percentage of population classified as Welsh speaking 11.4%

No. of static service points open 10+ hours per week 16

Of which: No. which are community managed 0

No. which are community supported 0

No. which are commissioned community libraries 0

No. of static service points open for less than 10 hours per week 1

Of which: No. which are community managed 0

No. which are community supported 0

No. which are commissioned community libraries 0

No. of Mobiles 0

No. of Independent Community Libraries 0

Contact details for queries regarding this return

Name Steve Hardman

Telephone 01792 636610

Email [email protected]

Has this Annual Return been approved by the authority prior to its submission to CyMAL? YesIf yes, by whom? Full council, cabinet/executive, portfolio holder, scrutiny committee, other (specify) Porfolio holderDate of approval

Cabinet/ExecutivePortfolio Member Cllr Robert Francis-DaviesOther (state title)

Date approval granted 22nd June 2015

YesNoDon't know

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3

Compliance with Core Entitlements City and County of Swansea

Entitlement Compliance (please select)

Authority comments

Customers and Communities1 Ensure friendly, knowledgeable and qualified staff are on

hand to help.Fully met All staff undergo training in line with corporate policies and procedures. Library specific training is

acquired in-house, via the regional training consortia and through training available via MALD. The service also follows the local authorities Appraisal scheme which also helps identify individual training needs. Customer satisfaction rates suggest that the staff meet this entitlement.

2 Stage a range of activities to support learning, enjoyment and enable users to obtain the maximum benefit from the available resources.

Fully met As outlined in the quality indicators the service provides a wide range of activities for both children and adults that support this entitlement. Surveys conducted show that customers find the activities beneficial in a number of ways many of which relate to health and quality of life benefits as well as learning outcomes and personal development.

3 Provide access to a range of services and resources to support lifelong learning, personal well-being and development, and community participation.

Fully met See above

Access for all4 Open to all members of their communities Fully met The service strives to be open and inclusive to all and one of its main service aims is to be

responsive to the needs of its customers. The service works within the equalities policies and guidelines of the local authority.

5 Free to join Fully met The service is free to join and it also supports the local authority concessionary schemes such as Passport to Lesiure whereby reduced charges are applied to loans such as DVD's.

6 Provide a safe, attractive and accessible physical space with suitable opening hours

Fully met The service continues to monitor the criteria which make up this entitlement and has successfully bid for grants to upgrade facilities where possible. Staff also have building check lists to ensure the physical space is safe, attractive and accessible as part of their building checklists and risk assessments.

7 Provide appropriate services, facilities and information resources for individuals and groups with special needs

Fully met The service accomodates users of all types and believes it meets this entitlement. The service has a dedicated information team that staff can refer users with specific needs to if they cannot be readily accomodated within the library they are visiting at the time. Recently staff have undergone training in relation to dementia, safeguarding vulnerable people and hate crime to enable them to support customers who maybe affected.

Learning for life8 Lend books for free. Fully met This is a core statutory function.

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4

Compliance with Core Entitlements City and County of Swansea9 Deliver free access to information. Fully met This is a core statutory function.

10 Provide free use of the Internet and computers, including Wi-Fi.

Fully met In line with Welsh Government policies.

11 Deliver free use of online information resources 24 hours a day.

Fully met The service provides a range of electronic resources 24/7. A full list can be found on its web pages via http://swan.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk/client/en_GB/default/?rm=INFORMATION+RO0%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C2%7C%7C%7Ctrue&dt=list

12 Provide access to high quality resources in a range of formats, including those in the Welsh language, reflecting changing forms of publication.

Fully met The service provides material in English, Welsh and small collections of multi-ethnic materials based on current migration trends within the city. Materials are also provided in large print, spoken word, mp3 and e-book, e-magazine formats. The service follows current publication trends and adopts them when resources and demand allows.

13 Share their catalogues, to enable a single search of all Welsh library resources.

Fully met We have worked with the National Library of Wales to allow our catalogues to be searched via Cat Cymru and its successor product. The service has also contributed to the national procurement of an all Wales Library Management System and looks forward to supporting this as it is rolled out in future months.

Leadership and development14 Promote libraries to attract more people to benefit from their

services.Fully met The service works closely with MALD in relation to marketing promotions. The service also has its

own brand identity and supports the corporate branding as required. All libraries have their own business plans which look to attract new audiences and these work in synergy with the library services overall aims and objectives and the wider cultural and corporate business plans.

15 Regularly consult users to gather their views on the service and information about their changing needs.

Fully met The service runs a number of consultation processes based either on service specific needs and/or local authority / government reporting needs such as the WPLS. The service also runs its own 'Have your say' process which allows users to feed back comments in relation to comments, complaints and compliments. These are then used to support service changes where possible/

16 Work in partnership to open up access to the resources of all Welsh libraries.

Fully met The service works closely with a range of local, regional and national partners to raise awareness of its services and those of partner organisations. It contributes to the all Wales library catalogue, the South West regional training consortia and the regional inter lending consortia 'Books 4 U'. The service is also active in the national purchasing consortia proving selection for e-books across Wales. It is also an active component of the 'Passport' scheme proving access to all public and academic libraries across the region.

17 Provide access to the library service’s strategy, policies, objectives and vision, in print and online, in a range of languages appropriate for the community.

Fully met Available in English and Welsh online and at local libraries. Customers may request the information in other formats and languages if required (Large print etc)

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Compliance with Core Entitlements City and County of Swansea18 Provide a clear, timely and transparent complaints process if

things go wrong.Fully met The libray service provides a 'Have your say' mechanism for comments, complaints and

compliments. It also works within the corporate policies of the City and County of Swansea in relation to complaint procedures.

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Welsh Public Library Quality Indicators

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Customers and communities City and WPLSQI 1 Making a difference 2014-15Percentage of adults who think that using the library has helped them develop new skills 64%Percentage of adults who have found helpful information for health and well-being at the library 58%Percentage of adults who experience the library as an enjoyable safe and inclusive place 98%Percentage of adults who think that the library has made a difference to their lives 87% Survey date (month & year) October 2014

Authority comment:

Percentage of children aged 7-16 who think that the library helps them learn and find things out 95%Percentage of children aged 7-16 who think that the library has made a difference to their lives 73% Survey date (month & year) October 2014

Authority comment:

WPLSQI 2 Customer satisfaction 2014-15 2013-14

Percentage of adults who think that the choice of books is ‘very good’ or ‘good’ 93% 89%

Percentage of adults who think that the standard of customer care is ‘very good’ or ‘good’ 99% 99%

Percentage of adults who think that the library is ‘very good’ or ‘good’ overall 99% 99%

Survey dates (month & year) October 2014 October 2012

Authority comment:

Average overall rating out of ten awarded by users aged 7-16 for the library they use 8.0 Survey date (month & year) October 2014

Authority comment:

The Library Service works hard to provide a programme of events and learning opportunities for all. Many are directly delivered by library staff, some are provided in partnership with other organisations and some are delivered via third party providers. Customers also use the stock and other resources available within their local libraries such as free ICT equipment to enable them to gain knowledge and improve their quality of life. Swansea Library and Information Services believe its role is to 'Help communities help themselves' and it is gratifying to see that so many of our customers feel that the service makes a difference to their lives.

Swansea Library and Information Services has a dedicated and experienced group of staff who are focused on providing high quality experiences for children through events and learning programmes and via its stock selection and display policies. This age group is usually much more willing to tell us where we get things wrong so again it is pleasing to see such positive results especially around the learning agenda given that increasing pupil attainment levels is one of the Authority's main corporate priorities. Swansea Library and Information Services believe there is a need to ensure professionally qualified children's specialists support the range of services we offer. There is also a good relationship with other providers of children's services within Swansea enabling the service to support others and to engage with children across different settings outside of the library environment.

This is the first year of a three year plan to reduce the book budget in line with the local authorities medium term financial plan. Although the reduction has been reflected in a reduction of the book issues it does not seem to have impacted on satisfaction rates thus far. As with previous years satisfaction rates for the service have remained high which I believe is a reflection on the work of the front line staff that operate the service especially in the difficult economic and turbulent time library services and local authorities find themselves.

The library service used the following question to this age group ' Do you think the library is Very good or Good' as oppose to asking them to award a rating of between 1-10. 97.9% rated the library as Very good or Good. This was split into Very Good 78.5% and Good 19.4%. We have used these figures to come up with the indicator of 8 for the purposes of answering this question. We hope this is acceptable and will ammend the question in forthcoming questionnaires.

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7

WPLSQI 3 Support for individual development 2014-15 % of total 2013-14 % of total

Number of static service points open for 10 hours per week or more providing:Basic support in the use of ICT infrastructure provided (including Wi-Fi) and in accessing the range of electronic information resources available.

16 100% 100%

Training to improve literacy, numeracy and digital skills. 16 100% 100%

Information literacy sessions for users. 16 100% 100%

Support for users to access local and national e-government resources. 16 100% 100%

Reader development programmes/activities for both adults and children 16 100%

This target has been met.

WPLSQI 4 User training 2014-15 Per 1,000 pop'nTotal number of attendances at pre-arranged user training sessions organised by the library 6,233 26

Percentage of attendees who said that attendance helped them to achieve their goals 87%Number of customers helped by means of informal training during the year 5,173 22

Authority comment (including note on the method used to calculate the results):

Access for all City and WPLSQI 5 Location of service points 2014-15 2013-14

Population density (persons per hectare) 6.3% of households within 2.5 miles (or 10 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop >96% >96%


The service prides itself in offering as wide a range of services at all of its libraries as resources allow. Partnerships are sought to support all libraries and the service works well with Communities 1st and Digital Communities especially around ICT initiatives. Library staff support basic ICT taster sessions and help customerts with e-mail, internet searches and information literacy skills. There is also a wide range of activities for children and adults. Information provision is provided via a dedicated virtual enquiry service (Library Line) which answers customer enquiries via, e-mail, fax, social media, phone and in person. Library Line also supports training around information literacy, local studies, e-book, tablet and smart phone services. Details of regular events can be found online at http://www.swansea.gov.uk/libraryevents

The service has attempted to populate this indicator to the best of its ability. However the service feels that this is not a vey useful indicator or one that is easily collected given the number of events it runs and the partner organisations that also run events within libraries. For example in October 2014 alone the service ran over 500 events which would mean that staff or partner colleagues would have to try and record attendee numbers and collate them centrally for all these different events. Given the reduction in back office posts and the increasing pressures on front line staff combined with the fact that the service has little control on how partner organisations collect and collate information this figure is not robust and I suggest is very much under represented. The figures that have been collected have been done soley through library staff returns and are sent in centrally on a monthly basis for collating. The % and no. of customers were calculated through snap shot surveys and scaled up via the total number of attendees. Total numbers also are based on the the subjective categories outlined in the guidence only. Third party run events and events run outside of library buildings have not been captured. This will remain the case in 15-16 as we do not have the resource or a robust mechanism to capture this data.

Please note: The City and County of Swansea is currently looking at reviewing a number of service areas including libraries in relation to commissioning or community transfer. It is extremely likely that the existing reach will decline within the life of the current Welsh Public Library Standards framework.

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8

WPLSQI 6 Library use 2014-15 Per 1,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 1,000 pop'n

Total number of visits to library premises during the year 1,133,887 4,718 4,897

Please indicate the method used for calculation

Total number of external visits to the library's web site during the year 75,168 313 64,737

Total number of active borrowers during the year 56,548 57,062

Total number of library members 121,155

Total number of book issues (adult and children combined) 1,035,572 1,108,527

Total number of audio-visual and electronic issues/downloads 111,654 465 101,935

Authority comment (include names of any shared service points with shared counting mechanisms and date of last membership data cleanse):

WPLSQI 7 User attendances at library events 2014-15 Per 1,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 1,000 pop'n

Total number of attendances at events and activities organised by the library 14,597 61 53

Authority comment:

Learning for life City and WPLSQI 8 Up-to-date reading material 2014-15 Per 1,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 1,000 pop'n

Total number of items acquired 49,269 205 223

Total materials expenditure (from WPLSQI 14) £448,943 £1,868 £2,007

This target has not been met. Please add any comments below:

Lending stock at the start of the year 366,922 2013-14

Total acquisitions of materials for loan 48,852

Replenishment rate 13.3% 15%


No shared service points. Last data cleanse April 2014.

Full year count

The service has similar reservations to this figure as those expressed for WPLSQI4. It is suggested that this figure is being under-reported due to the pressures on front line staff. Many libraries are often operating with single staff and it is not always possible to ensure full completion of returns.

Due to the financial constraints and the budget savings required to meet the local authorities medium term financial plan the service has reduced its resources budget accordingly along with many other local authorities. The reduction in the resources budget will currently continue until 2017-18. The reduction has taken into consideration reductions in the least popular areas of stock and current corporate priorities. Wherever possible we have tried to maintain spend on children's services and have used stock resource tools such as Collection HQ to inform our decisions.

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9

WPLSQI 9 Appropriate reading material 2014-15 2013-14

Total expenditure on material purchased for children £73,362

Percentage of materials exenditure for children 16% 15%


Total expenditure on materials in the Welsh language £6,800

Percentage of materials exenditure on materials in the Welsh language 1.5%

Spend per 1,000 Welsh-speaking resident population £248

This target has not been met. Please add any comments below:

WPLSQI 10 Online access 2014-15 Per 10,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 10,000 pop'n

Total number of networked public access computers 170 7.07 7.10


Do all libraries provide a minimum of one device giving public access to the Internet and networked digital content? Yes

If relevant, record the number of static sites without accees

If relevant, record the number of mobile libraries without acceesAuthority comment:

Do all static service points provide Wi-Fi access for the public using their own devices? No

This target has not been met. Please add any comments below:Due to the restrictive size and opening hours (7 hours per week) at Bonymaen Libray the library does not have wi-fi access. The service believes it was not cost effective to install wi-fi due to the space limitation in particular. However the remaining 16 libraries (94%) have been wifi enabled since December 2013. The service would therefore ask if this indicator can be considered to be fulfilled given the circumstances and reason given for Bonymaen?

Although the book fund is being reduced in line with the authorities medium term financial plan children's spend has been protected where possible to ensure the service continues to support corporate priorities. The service has always been children focused and will continue to prioritise this area.

As per comments regarding the purchase of Welsh materials in previous frameworks the service targets its spend predominantly on Welsh learning materials and children's resources. Stock is then placed within the libraries which have the most need. However even in these libraries stock is not heavily used with only 0.4% of the total adult issues being made up of Welsh language material and 3.3% of junior issues.

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10

WPLSQI 11 Use of ICT 2014-15 % used 2013-14

Number of hours available for use of public access ICT facilities during the year 345,912

Number of hours recorded for use of public access ICT facilities during the year 158,070 46% 48%

Number of hours available for use of Wi-fi networks by the public during the year 32,682

Number of hours recorded during which Wi-fi networks were used by the public during the year Unavailable

Authority comment:

WPLSQI 12 Supply of requests 2014-15 % 2013-14 %

Total number of requests for specific items made during the year 88,093Number of requests which are notified to the user as being available within 7 calendar days of the request being made 61,665 70% 77%

Number of requests which are notified to the user as being available within 15 calendar days of the request being made 76,641 87% 87%

Authority comment:The service is reducing its Acquisitions support as part of its budget savings to meet the local authorities medium term financial plan. As part this process the reduction of 1 FTE post was implemented. The Acquisitions department provides the support for Inter Library Loans and request systems and as a consequence we have seen the reduction in the % met within the first seven days. However the fall is still within the minimum target acceptability and the 15 day threshold has remained stable.

The service has recorded 32,224 instances of people logging on the Wi-Fi network for 14-15. However we cannot equate this to actual hours used as the system does not log anyone off once they have joined the network. In order to achieve this we would require additional software and force the customer off the network within a predetermined time-out function. There would be a financial cost to implement this for the service and would also provide a poorer service for the customer as current usage shows we have the capacity and network bandwidth to allow us to work within our current operating procedures.

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11

Leadership and development City and WPLSQI 13 Staffing levels & qualifications 2014-15 Per 10,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 10,000 pop'n

Total number of staff (FTE) 89.4 3.72 3.9 estab - 3.6 in post

Authority comment (including information about shared staff):

Number of staff holding recognised library related qualifications (FTE) (including cognate areas) 10.7 0.44 10.65

Number of staff holding qualifications in cognate areas (FTE) 0.0

Number of posts which require a library qualifications 8.0

Number of staff with library qualifications in posts which do not require a library qualification 2.7

Does the designated operational manager of library services hold a formal qualification in librarianship or information science or information management? Yes Yes

Please give details of current qualifications held:


Where does this post sit within the local authority management structure?

What is the post held by the most senior professional librarian (if different from the above)?

Where does the post held by the most senior professional librarian sit within the local authority management structure (if different from the above)?

BSc Econ (Hons) Library and Information Studies

3rd Teir Officer

As above

As above

Please note this is the full establishment figure. The service is currently operating below the figure due to vacancy lag and frozen posts.

30


12

Total staff working hours during the year 165,350

Number of staff hours spent in training & personal/professional development 1,703

% of time spent in training & personal/professional development 1.0%


Total number of volunteers active during the year 30 2013-14 11

Total number of volunteer working hours during the year 2,375 2013-14 1,905

Do you have Investors in Volunteers acreditation relating to the NOS? No

Briefly describe the training and support offered to volunteers.Authority comment:

WPLSQI 14 Operational expenditure 2014-15 % of total 2013-14 % of total

Expenditure on staff £2,043,860 56% 56%

Total materials expenditure £448,943 12% 13%

Expenditure on maintenance, repair & replacement of equipment & buildings £117,483 3% 8%

Total other operational costs £1,025,244 28% 23%

Total revenue expenditure £3,635,530 100% 100%

Total revenue expenditure per 1,000 population £15,127 £15,044

Total capital expenditure £9,517

Total capital expenditure per 1,000 population £40 £910

Authority comment:NB Total operational costs include all central charge costs which appear outside of the library budget but are allocated to libraries cost at year end i.e. libraries have no control on this spend (£570,100). The figures do not represent net expenditure as no income or grants have been included.

Due to the reduction in staffing and the increased need for local authority training requirements it is increasingly difficult to release front line staff to attend training. The service also notes that the majority of training for the year has been around corporate training not necesaarily 'library' related training. (54% / 46%). The service will look to find innovative ways to allow front line staff to take up more effective training opportunities.

Training is currently only provided in relation to the volunteers existing duties i.e. training required for the volunteer to undertake the role in which they are placed. No additional training is provided.

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13

WPLSQI 15 Cost per visit 2014-15 Ratio 2013-14

Total revenue expenditure 3,635,530£

Total number of visits to library premises during the year 1,133,887

Total number of external visits to the library's web site during the year 75,168 £3.01 64,737

Authority comment:

WPLSQI 16 Opening hours 2014-15 Per 1,000 pop'n 2013-14 Per 1,000 pop'n

Aggregate annual opening hours for all service points 33,046 138 146


% of total 2013-14 % of total

Total hours of unplanned and emergency closure of static service points as a result of building failure or staff unavailability 0

Total planned opening hours of all static service points 31,775 0.0% 0%

Total number of missed mobile library stops and home deliveries as a result of vehicle failure or staff unavailability 0

Total planned mobile library stops and home deliveries 0 0%

Authority comment:

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For CyMAL use only

Drop-down box lists: Year ending 31 March 2015Fully met Yes Achieved % of households within 2 miles of a static

service pointFull year count

Partially met No In progress % of households within 2.5 miles (or 10 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop

Sample of one or more weeks, grossed up

Not met Don't know No % of households within 3 miles (or 15 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop

A combination of these methods

Don't know

N/A

Target Description WPLS QI Stock phrases used in formulae:

95% 5 This target has been met.

75% 5 This target has not been met. Please add any comments below:

70% 5 Please enter your population density above.

243 Acquisitions per capita 8 (i) Briefly describe the training and support offered to volunteers.

£2,180 Materials spend per capita 8 (i) Please select from the drop-down list

11% Replenishment rate 8 (ii) Please state whether approval was granted by:

4% % of material budget on Welsh 9 (i) Full Council

£750 Spend on Welsh per capita 9 (i) Cabinet/Executive

0.9 Computers per capita 10 (i) Portfolio Member

3.6 Staff per capita 13 (i) Other (state title)

0.65 Professional staff per capita 13 (ii) Date approval granted

1.00% CPD percentage 13 (iv) When is approval expected?

120 Opening hours per capita 16 (i) When will the definitive version be submitted to CyMAL?

Please provide comparison to last year; and plan for development:

Change these values if the targets change Please comment below:

Change the dates each year Please give details of training undertaken

2014-15 2013-14 Briefly describe the training and support offered to volunteers.

% of households located within set distance of a library, according to population density

Has s/he undertaken relevant library management training within the last three years?

33

Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 1 Swansea

Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-17

City & County of Swansea

Annual Assessment Report 2014-15

This report has been prepared based on information provided in Swansea’s annual return, case studies and narrative report submitted to Museums, Archives and Libraries Division of the Welsh Government.

Swansea’s return was approved by the Portfolio holder, on 22nd June 2015.

1) Executive summary

Swansea met all of the 18 core entitlements in full.

Of the 7 quality indicators which have targets, Swansea achieved 3 in full, and 4 in part.

Good performance in some areas, for example, the percentage of active borrowers per capita, is unfortunately offset against declining performance in key areas of stock, computers and staffing. Additional commentary in the return may have provided more information about the context and circumstances of budget cuts.

• Swansea undertook an impact survey in October 2014, with 87% of adults agreeingthat the library has made a difference to their lives. 87% of attendees at trainingsessions feel that they have been helped to achieve their goals. Four impact studiesprovide good evidence of the impact of services on children and vulnerable people.

• Swansea conducted a customer survey in October 2014, and recorded animprovement in the percentage of adults who think the books are very good or good.Other satisfaction levels remain high.

• Visits per capita have fallen slightly compared to last year, with an increase in virtualvisits. ICT facilities fall short of the standards set; those which are available are wellused by the public. Data collection regarding attendance at events and trainings maybe incomplete, and this is an area of concern.

• Swansea has met the replenishment rate target, and the spending target on materialsfor children, but fails to meet overall acquisitions targets. Spending on materials in theWelsh language is below the target set in terms of percentage spend and spend percapita.

• There is some concern over staffing levels, as frozen posts and vacancies result inSwansea operating below the target staffing level. Professional staffing is also belowthe target, and is the lowest in Wales, although the head of service is appropriatelyqualified. Swansea has 30 volunteers, each giving an average of 79 hours to theservice. Total revenue expenditure has increased by 0.5% compared to last year, andthe average cost per visit was £3.01.

• Compared to the rest of Wales Swansea performs well in the area of Customers and

communities, but better evidence is needed of those helped by informal training.Performance on indicators in the areas of Learning for life and Leadership and

development is generally below the Welsh median.

• As in previous reports, there are several areas of concern and the overall direction of

34

Item 4.3


travel remains uncertain.

2) Performance against the standards

The standards framework comprises of core entitlements, quality indicators with targets, quality indicators with benchmarks and impact measures. Section 2 summarises achievements against the core entitlements, the quality indicators which have targets, the quality indicators showing performance against others, and impact measures. A narrative assessment of the authority’s performance is made in Section 3.

a) Core entitlements

Swansea is meeting all of the 18 core entitlements in full.

b) Quality indicators with targets

There are 16 quality indicators (QI) within the framework. Of the 7 which have targets, Swansea is achieving 3 in full, and 4 in part:

Quality Indicator Met?

QI 3 Individual development: Met in full a) ICT support

b) Skills training

c) Information literacy

d) E-government support

e) Reader development

QI 5 Location of service points Met in full

QI 8 Up-to-date reading material: Partially met a) Acquisitions per capita

or Materials spend per capita

b) Replenishment rate

QI 9 Appropriate reading material: Partially met a) % of material budget on children

b) % of material budget spent on Welsh

or Spend on Welsh per capita

QI 10 Online access: Partially met a) All service points

Computers per capita

b) Wi-Fi provision

QI 13 Staffing levels and qualifications: Partially met

a) Staff per capita

b) Professional staff per capita

c) Head of service qualification/training

d) CPD percentage

QI 16 Opening hours per capita Met in full

c) Impact measures

The framework contains three indicators which seek to gather evidence of the impact that using the library service has on people’s lives. Through these and other indicators it is possible to see how the library service is contributing towards educational, social, economic

35


and health and wellbeing local and national agendas. These indicators do not have targets. Not all authorities collected data for the impact indicators, and ranks are included out of the numbers of respondents stated, where 1 is the highest scoring authority.

Performance indicator Swansea Rank Lowest Median Highest

QI 1 Making a difference b) % of children who think that the library helps them

learn and find things out: 95% 2 / 7 63% 93% 95%

e) % of adults who think that the library has made adifference to their lives: 87% 4 / 7 73% 87% 92%

% of children who think that the library has made a difference to their lives: 73% 4 / 6 43% 79% 90%

QI 4 b) % of attendees of training sessions who said that the training had helped them achieve their goals: 87% 14 / 17 65% 93% 100%

Swansea undertook an impact survey in October 2014. The authority described 4 impact case studies:

a girl with dyslexia who now achieves top grades in reading following support fromlibrary staff;

a report from a teacher on the impact of the ECALM project on pupils’ readingattitudes towards reading for pleasure;

a number of individual attendees at craft and other groups hosted by the library whohave made new friends and learnt new skills; and

a project for boys who were reluctant readers which has altered their attitudes toreading.

d) Quality performance indicators and benchmarks

The remaining indicators do not have targets, but allow performance to be compared between authorities. The following table summarises Swansea’s position for 2014-15. Ranks are included out of 22, where 1 is the highest, and 22 the lowest scoring authority, unless stated otherwise. (Indicators where fewer than 22 authorities supplied data are obtained from customer surveys which only need to be carried out once during the three year framework period, or those where relevant data elements were not available to some authorities.)


QI 1 Making a difference a) new skills 64% 6 / 9 55% 72% 93%

c) health and well-being 58% 5 / 9 29% 58% 91%

d) enjoyable, safe and inclusive 98% 1 / 7 84% 97% 98%

QI 2 Customer satisfaction a) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ choice of books 93% 3 / 10 82% 89% 97%

b) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ customer care 99% 1 / 10 93% 98% 99%

c) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ overall; 99% 1 / 10 94% 96% 99%

d) child rating out of ten n/a 8.0 9.2 9.4

QI 4 User training a) attendances per capita 26 11 2 24 278

c) informal training per capita 22 20 / 21 16 162 484

36



QI 6 Library use a) visits per capita 4,718 7 2,637 4,177 5,955

b) virtual visits per capita 313 21 212 923 2,449

c) active borrowers per capita 235 2 71 155 288

QI 7 attendances at events per capita 61 19 21 192 464

QI 11 Use of ICT - % of available time used by the public

a) equipment 46% 6 23% 36% 70%

b) Wi-Fi services n/k 4% 37% 74%

QI 12 Supply of requests a) % available within 7 days 70% 10 62% 69% 81%

b) % available within 15 days 87% 7 74% 84% 94%

QI 13 Staffing levels and qualifications (v) a) total volunteers 30 5 0 14 74

b) total volunteer hours 2,375 2 0 527 2,696

QI 14 Operational expenditure a) total expenditure per capita £15,127 9 £8,966 £14,054 £20,796

b) % on staff, 56% 12 45% 57% 77%

% on information resources 12% 13 5% 13% 21%

% on equipment and buildings 3% 15 0% 4% 27%

% on other operational costs; 28% 6 4% 22% 37%

c) capital expenditure per capita £40 14 £0 £266 £2,126

QI 15 Cost per visit £3.01 6 £2.07 £2.87 £3.92

QI 16 Opening hours (see note)

(ii) a) % hours unplanned closure of static service points

0% 1 0.0% 0.02% 0.52%

b) % mobile stops / home deliveries missed n/a 0.0% 0.4% 5.4%

Note: Rankings here have been reversed, so that 1 is the lowest scoring authority.

3) Analysis of performance

The core entitlements and quality indicators are divided into four key areas. This section of the report outlines performance against the quality indicators within these four areas.

a) Customers and communities

Swansea conducted a user survey in October 2014, recording high levels of satisfaction with services. It is ranked first amongst those authorities reporting surveys this year for the percentage of adults who think the library is enjoyable, safe and inclusive, that customer care is good or very good and for overall satisfaction. There was a marked improvement in the percentage of adults who think that the choice of books is very good or good, compared to the previous survey in 2012, and this is now above the median. The question asked of children did not confirm to the requirements for QI 2; however, 97.9% of children surveyed thought that the library was ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Swansea notes that it had difficulty collecting data on the numbers of people attending training, and feels that the figures reported under-represent the true position; informal training levels may also be under-recorded.

b) Access for all

37


Swansea meets the target for easy access to service points. Visits per capita have fallen slightly compared to last year, with an increase in virtual visits, although these are the second lowest in Wales. More than one in five members of the population was an active borrower last year, the second highest proportion in Wales. Attendance at events has increased compared to last year, although the authority expressed concern that this figure is also under-reported.

c) Learning for life

Swansea fails to meet the targets for levels of acquisitions overall, although the lending stock replenishment rate target has been met. The service has reduced its resources budget, and allocated this to different areas, taking into account the popularity of stock. The proportion spent on materials for children has met the target. Spending on material in the Welsh language is at less than half of the target level and is an area of concern. Overall provision of ICT facilities does not meet the target, and the number of PCs per capita is the third lowest in Wales. All service points provide ICT facilities and all but the smallest, open for only 7 hours per week, offer Wi-Fi access for the public. ICT facilities are well used, but the Wi-Fi system does not allow usage time to be monitored, although the number of log-ins is recorded, averaging once per available hour. There has been a fall in the percentage of requests met within 7 days compared to last year, but the proportion met within 15 days has been maintained, and both are above the median for Wales.

d) Leadership and development

Overall establishment staffing meets the target set, although the return notes that there are some vacancies and frozen posts within the figures given. Professional staffing levels are the lowest in Wales, however and this is an area of some concern. The target for staff training has been met, mostly around corporate training. The service is looking at innovative ways to allow front line staff to take up more library-related training opportunities. Swansea has increased its use of volunteers, and in 2014-15 had 30, each giving an average of 79 hours to the service.

Total revenue expenditure includes an element for central charges which is outside the library’s control but forms part of its core budget. There has been a slight increase in spending per capita, of 0.5%, compared to 2013-14, and this is above the median for Wales. Average cost per visit is £3.01.Opening hours meet the target set, and there were no unplanned closures during the year.

4) Strategic context

The City and County of Swansea is currently looking at reviewing a number of service areas, including libraries, in relation to commissioning or community transfer. The library service sees its role as ‘helping communities to help themselves’, and presented a clear overview of library activity in support of five outcomes: safeguarding vulnerable people/health and well-being; improving pupil attainment/educational attainment; creating a vibrant and viable city and economy/ economic growth and sustainable jobs; tacking poverty/supporting children families and deprived communities; and building sustainable communities.

5) Conclusion

Good performance in some areas, for example, the percentage of active borrowers per capita, is unfortunately offset against declining performance in key areas of stock, computers and staffing. Additional commentary in the return may have provided more information about the context and circumstances of budget cuts.

38

Is-Adran Amgueddfeydd, Archifau a Llyfrgelloedd

Llywodraeth Cymru, Rhodfa Padarn, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3UR.

Ffôn: 0300 062 2112

Ffacs: 0300 062 2052

E-bost: [email protected]

Gwefan: http://gov.wales/topics/cultureandsport/museums-archives-libraries/

Jack Straw Chief Executive City and County of Swansea County Hall Oystermouth Road SA1 3SN

25 September 2015 Dear Mr Straw,

Fifth Assessment Framework for Welsh Public Library Standards: Annual

Return 2014-15

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 sets out the statutory duties of public library authorities to "provide a comprehensive and efficient library service" and makes it a duty of the Welsh Ministers "to superintend and promote the

improvement" of public library services in Wales. In accordance with these statutory requirements the Welsh Government has completed its assessment of your authority's library service Annual Return for 2014-15, and the full report is attached to this letter.

This is the first year of assessment under the fifth framework. The independent assessor, in consultation with a Reference Group comprising Welsh Government officials and three heads of library services, found that:

Swansea met all of the 18 core entitlements in full. Of the seven quality indicators which have targets, Swansea achieved three in

full and four in part. The library service has key strengths in its level of active borrowers, with good

satisfaction levels for the book stock. The main areas of concern are declining performance in stock acquisition, ICT

and staffing.

I am grateful for the support from your library service in submitting this year’s return and liaising with the independent assessor and MALD officials on this important piece of work.

Should you have any queries concerning the report or the assessment process, please contact Alyson Tyler, Libraries Development Programme Manager, tel: 0300

39

Item 4.4

062 2103, email: [email protected].

Yours sincerely

Linda Tomos

Director Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales

CC: Head of Library Service Scrutiny Officer

40

Museums, Archives and Libraries Division

Welsh Government, Rhodfa Padarn, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3UR.

Tel: 0300 062 2112

Fax: 0300 062 2052

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://gov.wales/topics/cultureandsport/museums-archives-libraries/

Jack Straw Prif Weithredwr Dinas a Sir Abertawe Neuadd y Sir Heol Ystumllwynarth Abertawe SA1 3SN

25 Medi 2015 Annwyl Mr Straw,

Y Pumed Fframwaith Asesu ar gyfer Safonau Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus Cymru:

Ffurflen Flynyddol 2014-15

Mae Deddf Llyfrgelloedd Cyhoeddus ac Amgueddfeydd 1964 yn nodi dyletswyddau statudol ar awdurdodau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus i “ddarparu gwasanaeth llyfrgell

cynhwysfawr ac effeithlon” ac yn ei gwneud yn ddyletswydd ar Weinidogion Cymru “ioruchwylio a hybu gwelliannau” i wasanaethau llyfrgelloedd cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Yn unol â’r gofynion statudol hyn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi asesu’r Ffurflen Flynyddol 2014-15 a gyflwynwyd gan wasanaeth llyfrgell eich awdurdod, ac mae’r adroddiad llawn ynghlwm wrth y llythyr hwn.

Dyma flwyddyn gyntaf yr asesiad o dan y bumed fframwaith. Isod ceir canlyniadau’r asesydd annibynnol, mewn ymgynghoriad â Grŵp Cyfeirio sy’n cynnwys swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru a thri phennaeth gwasanaethau llyfrgell:

Roedd Abertawe wedi cyflawni pob un o’r 18 hawl graidd yn llawn. O’r 7 dangosydd ansawdd sydd â thargedau, roedd Abertawe wedi cyflawni tri

yn llawn a phedwar yn rhannol. Cryfderau penodol y gwasanaeth llyfrgell yw nifer y benthycwyr gweithredol,

gyda lefelau bodlonrwydd da o ran y stoc lyfrau. Y prif feysydd sy’n peri pryder yw dirywiad y perfformiad yn ymwneud â

derbyniadau stoc, TGCh a staffio.

Rwy’n ddiolchgar am gefnogaeth eich gwasanaeth llyfrgell wrth gyflwyno’r ffurflen eleni ac am gydlynu â’r asesydd annibynnol a swyddogion yr Is-adran Amgueddfeydd, Archifau a Llyfrgelloedd ar y darn pwysig hwn o waith.

Os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau ynghylch yr adroddiad neu’r broses asesu,

41

cysylltwch ag Alyson Tyler, Rheolwr Rhaglen Datblygu Llyfrgelloedd, ffôn: 0300 062 2103, e-bost: [email protected].

Yr eiddoch yn gywir

Linda Tomos

Cyfarwyddwr

Amgueddfeydd, Archifau a Llyfrgelloedd Cymru

CC: Pennaeth Gwasanaeth Llyfrgell Swyddog Craffu

42

Item 5 Report of the Head of Waste

Service Improvement & Finance Panel – 9th December 2015

RECYCLING AND LANDFILL

Purpose To monitor and challenge performance and action plan for meeting statutory targets.

Content This report explains the statutory recycling and landfill targets, performance to date and actions to meet statutory targets.

Councillors are being asked to

Consider the report.

Lead Councillor Councillor David Hopkins Lead Officer Chris Howell Report Author Ian Whettleton

01792635627 [email protected]

1. Background

1.1 The Welsh Governments National Strategy ‘Towards Zero Waste’ sets out a 70% recycling and composting target for 2025. It also sets out targets to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfill.

1.2 Council adopted a Waste Strategy in 2012 which sets out a range of principles and actions to achieve the statutory targets set out in Welsh Governments plans.

1.3 Last year the Authority exceeded the statutory target of 52% by achieving the previous year 56.7%, an increase of 3.8%.

1.4 The current statutory recycling and composting target has risen this year to 58% and will remain at that level until 2019 when it will rise to 64%. In addition to these there are targets requiring a reduction in landfill which will also have to be met.

Should either of their targets not be achieved the Authority could face fines of £200 for every tonne that the targets is missed, which represents £250k for every 1% short of the target.

43

1.5 Our current recycling and composting rate for the first half of this year is 61.10% against a target of 58% which should see the Authority achieve a full year (2015/16) rate of 58% once seasonal adjustments have been taken into consideration.

1.6 The priority improvement areas to increase our recycling and composting and subsequently reduce landfill will include:

• Waste Minimisation• Increase Participation• Energy from Waste• Getting more recycling out of the black bags which still have 50% of

material that can be readily recycled• Increasing Trade Recycling

2. How did we meet and exceed our targets?

2.1 By far the biggest factor in improving our recycling performance was the introduction of a three black bag limit of kerbside collected material. This saw a reduction of 3500 tonnes of waste to landfill and 2500 tonnes increase in the first 6 months of its introduction and has continued to maintain this.

2.2 An ongoing advertising and communications plan is in place together with a range of initiatives to encourage more participation in the extensive kerbside collection services that are provided. This will have medium and long term benefits by changing attitudes towards recycling for those who do not yet participate.

2.3 Ceasing to allow food waste to be place in residual (no recyclables) waste bins for our Commercial waste customers has seen a significant increase in both food and other recyclates at all HWRC’s

2.4 Rubble collection facilities continue to make a contribution of our overall recycling figures.

2.5 The introduction of a new permit for vans and trailers taking waste to the HWRC’s has seen a drop in applications and it is noticeable that illegal disposing of Commercial waste at the HWRC’s has fallen.

2.6 Smaller but equally important initiatives continue to play their part in performance such as the Reuse Shop which continues to thrive.

44

3. What’s next?

3.1 The Commissioning review currently in progress for Waste is likely to offer various options of what the service is likely to look like in the future requiring consultation with the stake holders.

3.2 The reusable pink bag trial currently underway will be assessed before Christmas and residents will be advised if rolled out across the Authority. There is a budget saving proposed for 2016-17 attached to this.

3.3 Following on from the success of the three bag limit we will consider how a further reduction to two bags would improve our recycling rates even further. Three weekly collections of residual waste collections could also be considered as an alternative with the additional benefits of collection cost savings. One of these options may have to be considered as we work towards the 64% target required in 2019.

3.4 Advertising and communications will continue to keep recycling at the forefront of residents mind to maintain and increase participation.

3.5 Commercial customers with be visited and waste Audits undertaken to increase recycling uptake in this area. We will use new legislation for Commercial customers to separate food, glass, paper and plastic that is due to come into force in January to reinforce this message.

3.6 A new picking line has just been commissioned at the Baling Plant which will allow the Authority to sort a number of waste streams to maximise recycling. This could include mixed waste from the kerbside, commercial premises and Street Cleansing.

3.7 The Authority is working closely with our regional partners to procure an ‘Energy from Waste’ solution for our residual waste. This would increase our recycling and most importantly reduce our landfill.

4. Independent review

4.1 Alongside our own improvement plan to meet the statutory recycling targets we are reviewing our services in conjunction with Welsh Government through on this imminent ‘Collaborative Change Programme’.

4.2 The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are undertaking this work on behalf of the Welsh Government and a report is imminent.

4.3 This work will help identify how our performance will need to improve beyond 2016 and appraise the options of service profile to deliver this in the most efficient manner.

45

Background Papers: Waste Management Strategy

Contact: Ian Whettleton

Date: 5th November 2015

46

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy

Cabinet – 15th October 2015

ANNUAL REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE 2014/15

Purpose: The report is a review of progress made by the Council in meeting the priorities, actions and targets set out in Standing up for a Better Swansea the Corporate Improvement Plan for 2013/17 updated for 2014/15 as required by Part 1 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009

Policy Framework: Standing up for a Better Swansea Corporate Improvement Plan 2013/17 updated for 2014/15

Reason for Decision: To comply with statutory guidance and to approve and publish the Annual Review of Performance 2014/15.

Consultation: Legal, Finance and Cabinet Member.

Recommendation(s): It is recommended that: 1) The Annual Review of Performance 2014/15 is approved.

Report Author: Richard Rowlands

Finance Officer: Carl Billingsley

Legal Officer: Tracey Meredith

Access to Services Officer: Sherill Hopkins

1.0 Introduction

1.1 The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 creates an obligation on Councils to account for improvement. The process for accounting for improvement falls into two stages.

1.2 Stage one reporting covers the Council’s plans and Improvement Objectives for that year and should be published every year as soon as possible after the 1st April.

1.3 Stage two reporting arises when the Council is in a position to be able to account for success of the previous year’s improvement activity and must

47

Item 7

be published before 31st October in the financial year after the year to which the information relates.

1.4 The attached report relates to stage two performance reporting against the ‘improvement objectives’ set out within Standing up for a Better Swansea the Corporate Improvement Plan 2013/17 updated for 2014/15.

1.5 The Corporate Improvement Plan 2013/17 updated for 2014/15 and its 9 Improvement Objectives that are the subject of the Annual Review of Performance 2014/15 has now been superseded by the five key priorities described in Delivering for Swansea the Corporate Plan for 2015/17.

2.0 Content

2.1 The Annual Review of Performance must be written to comply with statutory guidance, as summarised below:

• Evidence of the processes that the authority has gone through todischarge its general duty to improve;

• A summary assessment of the authority’s view of its success inachieving its improvement objectives as set out in the previous year’simprovement plan;

• Assessment of performance in comparison with itself in previousyears and to other comparable bodies (including other authorities).

2.1.1 These requirements are addressed in Parts 1 and 2 – Executive / Summary of evaluations delivering the Council’s Improvement Objectives in 2013/14. These parts represent a summary of the Council’s own evaluation of its performance delivering its Improvement Objectives during 2014/15.

• Details of the ways in which the authority has exercised its powers ofcollaboration during the reporting year including details of whether acollaborative activity has achieved its intended outcomes.

2.1.2 Information on collaboration is provided in Part 3 – Working in partnership with others in 2014/15. This part summarises how the Council is collaborating with others across a wide range of services in some key areas.

• Details of other performance information and its use;• Any statements of activity that the authority has issued as a result of

any Section 19 reports issued by the Auditor General for Wales tothat authority in that reporting year.

• Performance as measured by all statutory performance indicators,whether or not these relate directly to improvement objectives;

2.1.3 Details on performance information and a summary of the Council’s performance against national indicators in 2014/15 are provided in Part 4 – Performance Information and its use. This part summarises how the

48

Council plans for and puts arrangements in place to secure improvement. The Council is not subject to Section 19 reports but this section includes details on how the Council has responded to the Estyn inspection. More detailed comparative performance information for all national performance indicators will be published on the Council’s website before the statutory publication date of 31st October 2015.

3.0 Equality & Engagement Implications

3.1 The Annual Review of Performance is not relevant for an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) itself. It may mean however that it might form part of the information that leads to a service screening for and undertaking an EIA as required.

4.0 Financial Implications

4.1 The financial resources required to implement all the actions and achieve the specified performance targets in 2014/15 were provided in the approved budget. Any additional financial implications which arose from the pursuance of the priorities in the Corporate Improvement Plan would have been dealt with as virement within the normal financial procedures.

5.0 Legal Implications

5.1 The Annual Review of Performance 2014/15 must be published at or before the statutory date of 31st October 2015.

Background Papers: None

Appendices: Appendix A – Annual Review of Performance 2014/15.

49

Key points from Children’s Rights Councillor Seminar On 25 October 15

What is UNCRC? It is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

In Wales the Welsh Government has stated that all work with children and young people in Wales should be based upon the UNCRC.

In Swansea in September 2013 it was agreed that the UNCRC be embedded and become part of the Council’s Policy Framework. A duty was placed on the Cabinet to have ‘due regard’ to the UNCRC when exercising its decision making functions in:

- The formulation of new policies or strategies for the Authority - The review or amendment of existing policies or strategies of the Authority - The development, confirmation, or amendment of operational decisions that

rest within the remit of the Cabinet

Why do children need additional rights? - They are more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation - Minimum legal ages - May be entirely dependent on adults - Adults may not always act in the best interests of children - Power dynamic in society and as service users - Children and young people often lack a voice

What is our role?

Duty bearers can include: Parent or Guardian, other family members, teachers, doctors, social workers, local government, welsh assembly government, UK government

An example of this might be: Pupil Attainment: All children have the right to learn and go to school. Children should be encouraged to reach the highest level of education of which they are capable. Duty bearers in this case could be:

- The Government has a responsibility to ensure that there are enough schools for children and that the curriculum is relevant to them and their lives.

- The Local Authority has a responsibility to provide access to education. - The school has a responsibility to ensure a safe environment where children

can learn. - The family has responsibility to ensure that the child turns up to school on

time, is clothed, fed and, ready for lessons - Children can also be duty bearers and have responsibility to make sure that

they do not disturb or upset other children when they are trying to learn.

What is the role of Scrutiny Councillors as Duty Bearers? The Council’s Scrutiny Programme Committee is particularly interested in the way the Children Young People’s Rights Scheme has been implemented across the Council and its impact. It was proposed at the seminar that an approach is

50

Item 8.1

developed to enable scrutiny to act as champions for children’s rights when assessing the work of the Council and that questioning strategies are developed to enable this.

Based on the guiding Principles of the UNCRC, the following questions are used to measure due regard in the Equality Impact Assessment

1. Is the work being scrutinised designed/planned in the best interests of childrenand young people?

2. Does the work being scrutinised:a. Foster good relationships between different groupsb. Advance equality of opportunity between different groupsc. Eliminate/reduce discrimination and/or social exclusion and how does it do

this?3. Does the work being scrutinised contain adequate provision to safeguard those

involve?4. Does the work being scrutinised offer resources, skills and contributions

necessary for the survival and full development of children and young people5. What consultation and engagement has been undertaken? Does it meet the

National Participation Standards for Children and Young People?

The meeting agreed that these should be used but that they would need more refined for use in the scrutiny process.

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C I T Y A N D C O U N T Y O F S W A N S E A———————————————————————————————————————————————

Dinas A Sir Abertawe

Dear Sir,

Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel 14th October 2015

The Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel met on 14th October to discuss the end of year performance monitoring report 2014-15 and the 1st quarter performance monitoring report for the authority.

The Panel discussed a number of issues and raised questions about performance monitoring and the performance indicators used to measure how well the authority is performing.

We agreed to focus on further scrutiny work and investigation around performance and to look at how external organisations view the performance of the authority in specific areas.

The Panel would also like to invite you to one of their meetings to discuss the work of your organisation, how and in what capacity you work with the authority. This will take the form of a Q and A session and we will forward questions to you in advance. The Panel may also ask you comment and give an opinion on areas of performance and this also be sent to you in advance of the meeting.

Russell Greenslade Chief Executive BID

Please ask for: Gofynnwch am: Overview &

Scrutiny Direct Line: Llinell Uniongyrochol:

01792 636292

e-Mail e-Bost:

[email protected]

Our Ref Ein Cyf: Your Ref Eich Cyf: Date Dyddiad: 3.12.15

Summary: This is a letter from the Service Improvement & Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel to the Chief Executive of Swansea BID (Business Improvement District Ltd) following the meeting of the Panel on the 14 October 2015. It outlines an invitation to Swansea BID (Business Improvement District Ltd) to attend a future meeting of the Panel.

Overview & Scrutiny / Trosolwg a chraffu City and County of Swansea / Dinas a Sir Abertawe

Guildhall, Swansea, SA1 4PE/ Neuadd y Ddinas, Abertawe, SA1 4PE

52

Item 8.2

Your Response We would appreciate your comments about this letter. Should you agree to attending a Panel meeting we will be in touch shortly to organise a date and time.

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Chris Holley Convenor, Service Improvement and Finance Performance Panel [email protected]



53




Dear Sir,






Bruce Roberts President and Secretary Swansea Bay Business Club



01792 636292

e-Mail e-Bost:

[email protected]


Summary: This is a letter from the Service Improvement & Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel to the President Secretary of the Swansea Bay Business Club following the meeting of the Panel on the 14 October 2015. It outlines an invitation to the Swansea Bay Business Club to attend a future meeting of the Panel.



54

Item 8.3


Yours sincerely,




55




Dear Sir,






Stuart Taylor Chairman Swansea Bay Region Council South Wales Chamber of Commerce



01792 636292

e-Mail e-Bost:

[email protected]


Summary: This is a letter from the Service Improvement & Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel to the Chairman of the Swansea Bay Region Council following the meeting of the Panel on the 14 October 2015. It outlines an invitation to the Swansea Bay Region Council to attend a future meeting of the Panel.



56

Item 8.4


Yours sincerely,




57


Appendix ADraft Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel

Work Plan 2015/16

Date for Panel Meeting1

Item to be discussed

Meeting 1 May 13

• ICT project update

• Q & A with Councillor David Hopkins, Cabinet Member forCommunities & Housing: to discuss the implementation and impact of budget decisions within his portfolio

• Annual work plan review – to reflect on the year’s work,achievement, experiences, issues, ideas for future scrutiny.(Postponed until the next meeting)

• Development of work plan for 2015/16

Note – Cllr Chris Holley, new Convener of the Panel for this and subsequent meetings.

Meeting 2 June 10

• Overview of New Performance Framework & IndicatorsRichard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manger

• Annual work plan review – to reflect on the year’s work,achievement, experiences, issues, ideas for future scrutiny

Meeting 3 July 8

• Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Member for Enterprise,Development & Regeneration and Tracey McNulty, Head ofCultural Services :

• Grand Theatre.

• City Centre Regeneration - Cancelled

Meeting 4 August 12

• Q and A session with Councillor Mark Child, Cabinet Member forWell Being & Healthy City: to discuss the implementation andimpact of budget decisions within his portfolio.

• Q and A session with Councillor Clive Lloyd, Cabinet Member forTransformation & Performance: to discuss the implementationand impact of budget decisions within his portfolio.

Meeting 5 September 16

• Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Member for Enterprise,Development & Regeneration and Tracey McNulty, Head ofCultural Services :

• Grand Theatre.

1 Panel has agreed time and day for meetings for 2015/16 - Wednesdays at 1.30-3.30pm.

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• City Centre Regeneration

• End of year Budget

• 1st Quarter Budget Monitoring Report including Budget SavingsTracker.

Mike Hawes, Head of Finance and Performance

Meeting 6 October 14

• End of Year Performance Monitoring Report 2014-15Richard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manager

• 1st Quarter Performance Monitoring Report, including PolicyCommitments TrackerRichard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manager

Meeting 7 November 11

• Q and A session with Jane Harris, Cabinet Member for Servicesfor Adults & Vulnerable People to discuss the implementation andimpact of budget decisions within her portfolio. (postponed until alater meeting)

• ICT update – Sarah Caulkin/Jo Harley

• Mid-Year Budget Statement:Mike Hawes, Head of Finance & Delivery

Meeting 8 December 9

• Welsh Public Library Standards– Annual Performance ReportTracey McNulty - Head of Cultural ServicesSteve Hardman – Library Service Manager

• Recycling and Landfill – Annual Performance Monitoring

Chris Howells – Head of Waste Management & Parks OperationsIan Whettleton – Group Leader Waste Management

• Commercial Services and Procurement

Chris Williams – Head of Commercial ServicesAndrew Williams & Simon Mason – Procurement Officers

• Annual Review of Performance 2014-15Richard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manager

(Extra meeting) January 13 • Draft budget Proposals – date will depend on report availability

Meeting 9 January 20th

• Q & A session with Christine Richards, Cabinet Member forServices for Children & Young People to discuss theimplementation and impact of budget decisions within her

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portfolio.

• 2nd Quarter Performance Monitoring Report, including PolicyCommitments Tracker (reporting to Cabinet in December)

Richard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manager

• 2nd Quarter Budget Monitoring Report, including Budget SavingsTracker Mike Hawes, Head of Finance & Performance

• Wales Audit Office Annual Improvement ReportSteve Barry, Wales Audit Officer - tbc

Meeting 10 February 10

• Budget Scrutiny (Final Cabinet/Council Papers – meeting datewill depend on report availability)Mike Hawes, Head of Finance & Performance Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader/Cabinet Member for Finance & Strategy

Meeting 11 March 9

• Q and A session with Councillor Will Evans, Cabinet Member forAnti Poverty to attend and discuss the performance of AntiPoverty indicators/objectives.

• Q and A session with Councillor Jane Harris, Cabinet Member forServices for Adults & Vulnerable People to discuss theimplementation and impact of budget decisions within herportfolio

• 3rd Quarter Budget Monitoring Report, including Budget SavingsTrackerMike Hawes, Head of Finance & Performance

Meeting 12 April 13

• 3rd Quarter Performance Monitoring Report, including PolicyCommitments Tracker (reporting to Cabinet in March)

Richard Rowlands, Corporate Improvement Manager

• Annual work plan reviewTo reflect on the year’s work, achievements, experiences, issues,ideas for future scrutiny.

NB usually best to stick to no more than 2/3 substantive items per agenda, although not always possible.

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1

Welsh public library standards 2014-2017

Libraries making a difference

The fifth quality framework of Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-2017

61

Appendix B

WG20725

© Crown Copyright 2014

CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales

Welsh Government

Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

SY23 3UR

[email protected]

0300 062 2112

www.wales.gov.uk/cymal

ISBN 978-1-4734-1120-3 (online)

ISBN 978-1-4734-1122-7 (printed)

Prepared by LISU in consultation with the Welsh Government

Printed on 75% recycled paper

Images © Welsh Government – Libraries Inspire

62

3


ContentsForeword 5

1. Introduction 7

1.1 The benefits of using public libraries 7

1.2 What this means for the people in Wales 7

1.3 Fulfilling the statutory duty 8

1.4 The fifth quality framework 9

2. Customers and Communities 13

2.1 Core entitlements 13

2.2 Quality indicators 13

3. Access for all 17



4. Learning for Life 19



5. Leadership and development 21



6. Reporting, monitoring and assessment 25

6.1 Reporting requirements 25

6.2 Monitoring and assessment procedures 25

Appendix 28

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4


April 2014 sees the start of the next assessment framework. It has been prepared in consultation with the library sector and local authorities and reflects not only the difficult economic future, but also sets some aspirational targets. The framework includes impact and outcome measures for the first time. This will help to reveal the wide range of benefits that can result from using the public library service such as improvements to people’s literacy skills, digital skills and health and wellbeing.

I am therefore pleased to publish this fifth framework of the Welsh Public Library Standards and to also acknowledge the continuing partnership between the Welsh Government and local authorities. Together we can work to ensure that library services in Wales remain at the heart of our efforts to improve the lives of the people of Wales.

John Griffiths AM Minister for Culture and Sport April 2014

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I know from my many visits and from meeting people at events that the public library is a very important and valued service at the heart of communities. It provides a friendly space for learning and leisure, for meeting people and taking part in events. The modern library is also available 24/7 through online services such as e-books, e-magazines, and other digital resources. In poorer parts of Wales, libraries provide vital free access to digital services including information about welfare benefits and jobs.

The economic forecast for the next three years represents a challenge for us all. I appreciate that local authorities will have to make difficult decisions about the services they provide. However, public libraries are a statutory service as laid out in the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. For over a decade the Welsh Government has implemented successive assessment frameworks which have helped bring a more consistent level of public library provision across Wales. I want everyone in Wales to continue to benefit from effective and relevant public library services and resources.

Foreword

April 2014 sees the start of the next assessment framework. It has been prepared in consultation with the library sector and local authorities and reflects not only the difficult economic future, but also sets some aspirational targets. The framework includes impact and outcome measures for the first time. This will help to reveal the wide range of benefits that can result from using the public library service such as improvements to people’s literacy skills, digital skills and health and wellbeing.

I am therefore pleased to publish this fifth framework of the Welsh Public Library Standards and to also acknowledge the continuing partnership between the Welsh Government and local authorities. Together we can work to ensure that library services in Wales remain at the heart of our efforts to improve the lives of the people of Wales.

John Griffiths AM Minister for Culture and Sport April 2014

5

Foreword

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“Public, educational, and workplace libraries, are at the heart of their communities. The very reason for their existence is to inspire and assist people to make a positive difference to their lives. Libraries contribute to the social, educational, cultural and economic well being of the people of Wales.”1

1.1. The benefits of using public libraries

Library service engagement with individuals and with the wider community drives benefits in many of the Welsh Government’s outcome areas such as literacy, digital inclusion, cohesive communities, poverty, and health and well being. How the library interacts with its stakeholders – chiefly the users (and potential users) of the service – is key to the provision of a quality service. User perceptions of the services available derive from their experiences. Libraries which engage appropriately with their customers will provide the maximum benefits both for individuals and the community. As well as providing training and learning support for individuals, libraries contribute to society in other ways, such as providing access to computers and e-government for digitally excluded members of the community.

The public library may be the only place in the community where users can spend time in a safe and neutral environment. Supporting job-seekers in their search for work contributes to the local – and national – economy. By providing specialist facilities and services for those in the community who might have special needs, libraries contribute to health and well-being. Such benefits will only be achieved if the library provides equality of access for all. Much information is now more easily accessible online, and some is only available online, and libraries are uniquely positioned to facilitate access to resources which may be too costly for individuals (e.g. the cost of the basic hardware, Internet access or the resource subscription).

1. Introduction

1 CyMAL (2011) Libraries Inspire: The strategic development framework for Welsh libraries 2012-16, p 7 Available at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/cultureandsport/museumsarchiveslibraries/cymal/libraries/librariesinspire/?lang=en66

“Public, educational, and workplace libraries, are at the heart of their communities. The very reason for their existence is to inspire and assist people to make a positive difference to their lives. Libraries contribute to the social, educational, cultural and economic well being of the people of Wales.”1

1.1. The benefits of using public libraries

Library service engagement with individuals and with the wider community drives benefits in many of the Welsh Government’s outcome areas such as literacy, digital inclusion, cohesive communities, poverty, and health and well being. How the library interacts with its stakeholders – chiefly the users (and potential users) of the service – is key to the provision of a quality service. User perceptions of the services available derive from their experiences. Libraries which engage appropriately with their customers will provide the maximum benefits both for individuals and the community. As well as providing training and learning support for individuals, libraries contribute to society in other ways, such as providing access to computers and e-government for digitally excluded members of the community.

The public library may be the only place in the community where users can spend time in a safe and neutral environment. Supporting job-seekers in their search for work contributes to the local – and national – economy. By providing specialist facilities and services for those in the community who might have special needs, libraries contribute to health and well-being. Such benefits will only be achieved if the library provides equality of access for all. Much information is now more easily accessible online, and some is only available online, and libraries are uniquely positioned to facilitate access to resources which may be too costly for individuals (e.g. the cost of the basic hardware, Internet access or the resource subscription).

1. Introduction

1 CyMAL (2011) Libraries Inspire: The strategic development framework for Welsh libraries 2012-16, p 7 Available at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/cultureandsport/museumsarchiveslibraries/cymal/libraries/librariesinspire/?lang=en

Libraries play a key role in providing information, promoting knowledge and developing skills for people of all ages and all walks of life. From children’s first steps in listening to stories and learning to read, to providing quiet spaces for study, and supporting older people in using new technologies, libraries contribute to the delivery of literacy targets, information literacy and digital inclusion.

Good libraries play an important part in shaping people’s views of their local authority. In order to deliver quality, sustainable services to the public, libraries need active leadership and a programme for development enabling them to respond in a timely way to the changing information and cultural needs of their local communities. Staff must have the skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver services and meet customer needs, demonstrated by appropriate professional qualifications. Libraries have the opportunity to contribute to a range of wider local and national government agendas, but this will only happen if the library is pro-active in promoting its role, based on a strong vision linked to those agendas.

1.2. What this means for the people of Wales

The fifth framework of Welsh public library standards comprises 18 core entitlements and 16 quality indicators to monitor how well library services realise these benefits for the people of Wales. The mapping between benefits and indicators is not a simplistic one, as measuring outcomes and impacts at a service-wide level cannot be achieved directly, but must be inferred from broader indicators. The table below shows the indicators in this framework which are most directly related to some of the key benefits of using public libraries. Libraries which perform well on these indicators will be engaging appropriately with their customers to make a difference to their lives.

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Other core entitlements and quality indicators are concerned with the effective management of services, which underpins the effective delivery of the outcomes and impacts.

A short user guide for the public and local authority members is available from CyMAL.2

1.3. Fulfilling the statutory duty

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 19643 makes it a duty of the relevant Welsh Ministers (currently the Minister for Culture and Sport) “to superintend and promote the improvement of the public library service provided by local authorities…and to secure the proper discharge by local authorities of the functions in relation to libraries conferred upon them as library authorities under this Act”. Under the same Act, library authorities are required to “provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof”.

Since 2002, the Welsh Ministers have fulfilled this duty through the Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS, or, the Standards). The first framework ran from 2002 to 2005 with subsequent frameworks covering the periods 2005-08, 2008-11 and 2011-14. Each individual framework evolved to reflect the changing needs and expectations of public library users. In addition to the fulfilment of statutory duties, the WPLS framework plays

Outcomes and impacts Core entitlements

Quality indicators

I am able to increase my knowledge/skills having used the library

1, 2, 3 1, 3, 4

I am able to take part in reading and other cultural events organised by the library service

3 8, 9

I feel part of a community using the library service 3, 15 1, 5, 6

I am able to take advantage of the opportunities offered in the digital world using the library service

1, 10, 11 8, 12, 13

My health and well-being is enhanced by using the library 3, 7 1

I can participate more fully in local affairs via the facilities in the library

3, 11 3, 12

2 See http://www.wales.gov.uk/cymal for details

3 Available at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1964/75/contents

a valuable role in supporting the development of public library services. There is general consensus among stakeholders concerned with the provision of public library services in Wales that these performance measurement frameworks, introduced and administered by the Welsh Government for the sector, have helped public library services to improve in a number of ways and in key areas. For example, as a result of the Standards, there have been significant improvements in service areas such as the delivery of requests and provision of ICT facilities and services, leading to enhanced outcomes for library customers.

Local authorities also have a statutory duty (under section 7 of the Act) to provide a library service and encourage both adults and children to make full use of that library service. The performance indicators listed here will assist the Welsh Government in assessing whether or not local authorities in Wales are complying with their duties under the 1964 Act, and in assessing the comprehensiveness and efficiency, in terms of the manner of delivery, of library services in Wales.

1.4. The fifth quality framework

The aims of this new, fifth, framework of Welsh Public Library Standards are to:

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9


• enable the Minister for Culture and Sport to fulfil the statutory requirements of the 1964 Act in respect of superintending the provision of a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service by local authorities;

• provide a robust assessment of the performance of library services;

• have clear links to the Welsh Government’s agenda, to ensure credibility across local government in Wales;

• be relevant and useful to all local authority library services in Wales;

• be transparent, easily understood and accepted by all stakeholders;

• incorporate outcome measures to show the benefits of using libraries;

• act as a driver for improvements to library services and local communities; and

• minimise the burden of data collection on library authorities.

Introduced at a time of budgetary constraint, this framework provides opportunities for libraries to deliver services in innovative ways and the flexibility to make best use of the resources available to them. The framework has been developed using a variety of quality performance models as a basis to create a unique framework for Wales, incorporating input and output measures, as well as qualitative and impact/outcome elements.

It will come into operation on 1st April 2014, and libraries will make their first report against its requirements in the summer of 2015. This document describes the new framework in detail. It is appreciated that some areas of the framework may be more or less relevant in particular authorities and it is appreciated that library services will need to regard local priorities.

Library services contribute to a range of Welsh Government outcomes such as literacy, skills and learning, digital inclusion, poverty, health and well-being. Library provision spans these outcomes, offering a range of services which often support two or more of the outcomes simultaneously. The new quality framework has therefore been themed around four core service aspects:

• customers and communities;

• access for all;

• learning for life; and

• leadership and development.

Each aspect has a number of core entitlements and quality indicators associated with it, and has been related to wider government agendas. The desired outcome of the fifth framework is that libraries offer all the services and facilities listed as core entitlements. In order to assess the quality of these services and facilities, a range of performance indicators and outcome-based impact measures are

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10


described, to show how people are better off as a result of using the library service.

A set of core library entitlements for Welsh citizens is set out in Libraries Inspire, the strategic development framework for Welsh libraries for 2012-16. These have been formally incorporated into this fifth quality framework, and a small number of additional entitlements included. These additional entitlements will help to promote the wider societal role of public libraries, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability of the service.

The quality indicators included are of three broad types.

• Input indicators are concerned primarily with what the library service will provide for the citizens of Wales in key areas in order that the core entitlements described above can be delivered.

• Output indicators are concerned with levels of use. When considered alongside input indicators, they can give an indication of the efficiency of delivery of the service.

• Outcome and impact indicators measure the direct or indirect effects of the library service on its users, and on the wider community. They show the difference libraries make to people’s lives.

Some indicators have been developed from previous frameworks; others are new, reflecting an increasing emphasis on the outcomes and impact of the public library service for the people of Wales. Most will be reported every year; some may be reported once in the three year period, for example, where user survey data are required. For some indicators, formal targets are set, although such targets are not appropriate in all cases. Libraries will be expected to compare their performance on all indicators with previous

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11


described, to show how people are better off as a result of using the library service.

A set of core library entitlements for Welsh citizens is set out in Libraries Inspire, the strategic development framework for Welsh libraries for 2012-16. These have been formally incorporated into this fifth quality framework, and a small number of additional entitlements included. These additional entitlements will help to promote the wider societal role of public libraries, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability of the service.

The quality indicators included are of three broad types.

• Input indicators are concerned primarily with what the library service will provide for the citizens of Wales in key areas in order that the core entitlements described above can be delivered.

years, and to meet the targets where these are set. Benchmarking of authorities will be possible when all results are available.

The nature of the geography, distribution of population and other factors within individual authorities can cause significant variations in the approaches necessary to the planning and delivery of library services. For this reason, Welsh library authorities are offered alternatives against which to measure their services in some of the indicators described, and should choose the most appropriate to reflect their circumstances.

Definitions of the various terms and methods of data collection are not specified in this document; however these will be included with the reporting template provided to library services, and are available on request.4 In all cases, detailed guidance on data collection and calculation will be provided to

4 See http://www.wales.gov.uk/cymal for details

library authorities to ensure consistency and comparability. Existing data will be utilised wherever practicable. Where appropriate, international standard definitions and methods have been adopted.

A final section of this document details the reporting requirements, which include an element of self evaluation and descriptive reporting in addition to key service statistics and the performance indicators, and describes the monitoring and assessment process. A holistic view of assessment will be taken. Library performance will be judged on all the aspects of the framework, including compliance with the core entitlements, ranking on the quality indicators, how many performance targets are met, and the narrative providing evidence of the impact of the service on individuals and the community.

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Entitlements and indicators in this service aspect are designed to ensure that the library service engages with its customers and potential users, providing opportunities for individual and community development.

2.1. Core entitlements

WPLSCE 1 Libraries in Wales will ensure friendly, knowledgeable and qualified staff are on hand to help.

WPLSCE 2 Libraries in Wales will stage a range of activities to support learning, enjoyment and enable users to obtain the maximum benefit from the available resources.

WPLSCE 3 Libraries in Wales will provide access to a range of services and resources to support lifelong learning, personal well being and development, and community participation.

2.2. Quality indicators

WPLSQI 1 Making a difference This selection of indicators assesses the impact of library use on people’s lives in a variety of ways. Although some are relevant to other areas of this framework, they are grouped together here as being key to the overall customer experience.

Authorities will report, at least once in the three year period:

a) the percentage of adults who think that using the library has helped them develop new skills;

b) the percentage of children who think that the library helps them learn and find things out;

2. Customers and communities

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Entitlements and indicators in this service aspect are designed to ensure that the library service engages with its customers and potential users, providing opportunities for individual and community development.


WPLSCE 1 Libraries in Wales will ensure friendly, knowledgeable and qualified staff are on hand to help.

WPLSCE 2 Libraries in Wales will stage a range of activities to support learning, enjoyment and enable users to obtain the maximum benefit from the available resources.

WPLSCE 3 Libraries in Wales will provide access to a range of services and resources to support lifelong learning, personal well being and development, and community participation.


WPLSQI 1 Making a difference This selection of indicators assesses the impact of library use on people’s lives in a variety of ways. Although some are relevant to other areas of this framework, they are grouped together here as being key to the overall customer experience.

Authorities will report, at least once in the three year period:

a) the percentage of adults who think that using the library has helped them develop new skills;

b) the percentage of children who think that the library helps them learn and find things out;

2. Customers and communities

c) the percentage of adults who have found helpful information for health and well- being at the library;

d) the percentage of adults who experience the library as an enjoyable, safe and inclusive place;

e) the percentage of adults and the percentage of children who think that the library has made a difference to their lives.

Data will be collected from user surveys of adults and of children, which should be conducted in accordance with good statistical practice, at least once during the three year period of this framework. Authorities will be given guidance on the conduct of the survey and wording of questions to ensure comparability. Authorities may conduct annual surveys if they wish to do so and report accordingly.

WPLSQI 2 Customer satisfactionCustomer satisfaction is a key element of library performance. As with the indicators concerned with library impact (QI 1), some of these are relevant to other areas of this framework, but are grouped together here as being key to the overall customer experience.

Authorities will report:

a) the percentage of adults who think that the choice of books available in the library they use is ‘very good’ or ‘good’;

b) the percentage of adults who think that the standard of customer care in the library they use is ‘very good’ or ‘good’;

c) the percentage of adults who think that the library they use is ‘very good’ or ‘good’ overall;

d) the average overall rating out of ten awarded by users aged 16 or under for the library they use.

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Data will be collected from user surveys of adults and of children, which should be conducted in accordance with good statistical practice, at least once in the three-year period of this framework. It is appreciated that not all authorities wish to use the CIPFA PLUS suite of survey instruments (from which the above indicators are drawn), and guidance will be issued to ensure that authorities which choose to use their own surveys will have comparable results. Authorities may conduct annual surveys if they wish to do so and report accordingly.

WPLSQI 3 Support for individual developmentLibraries shall ensure that the following services are offered in all static service points open for 10 hours per week or more:

a) basic support in the use of the ICT infrastructure provided (including Wi-Fi) and in accessing the range of electronic information resources available;

b) training to improve literacy, numeracy, information and digital skills. Training programmes may be developed and delivered with appropriate partners outside the library service;

c) information literacy sessions for users (i.e. assistance in developing or enhancing capabilities to: identify and access appropriate resources efficiently and effectively; critically evaluate information; and apply information appropriately to further objectives, such as educational, employment, health and well-being);

d) support for users to access local and national e-government resources;

e) reader development programmes/activities for both adults and children.

The format of the support offered and frequency of any specific timetabled sessions should be appropriate both for the size of the service point and local community needs.

WPLSQI 4 User training This indicator assesses the extent to which sessions offered match local need and would include: reader development sessions; literacy, numeracy, information and digital skills sessions; ICT sessions, etc., including sessions arranged in collaboration with partner agencies. User training may have a general audience, or be targeted towards specific sub-groups of the population e.g. children, carers, unemployed persons, etc. Sessions may require advance registration, or be open to all on a drop-in basis.


a) the total number of attendances at pre-arranged training sessions organised and/or hosted by the library service at its own service points or at other locations within the authority during the year, divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000;

b) the percentage of attendees at such sessions who said that attendance helped them to achieve their goals;

c) the number of customers helped by means of informal training during the year, divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000.

Part (b) of this indicator should be derived from a simple feedback form offered to all attendees. Part (c) of the indicator may be derived by sampling. Authorities will be provided with guidance to ensure consistency of reporting.

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WPLSQI 4 User training This indicator assesses the extent to which sessions offered match local need and would include: reader development sessions; literacy, numeracy, information and digital skills sessions; ICT sessions, etc., including sessions arranged in collaboration with partner agencies. User training may have a general audience, or be targeted towards specific sub-groups of the population e.g. children, carers, unemployed persons, etc. Sessions may require advance registration, or be open to all on a drop-in basis.


a) the total number of attendances at pre-arranged training sessions organised and/or hosted by the library service at its own service points or at other locations within the authority during the year, divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000;

b) the percentage of attendees at such sessions who said that attendance helped them to achieve their goals;

c) the number of customers helped by means of informal training during the year, divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000.

Part (b) of this indicator should be derived from a simple feedback form offered to all attendees. Part (c) of the indicator may be derived by sampling. Authorities will be provided with guidance to ensure consistency of reporting.

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Entitlements and indicators in this service aspect are designed to ensure that library services are delivered from buildings and facilities which are welcoming, inclusive and fit for purpose.


WPLSCE 4 Libraries in Wales will be open to all members of their communities.

WPLSCE 5 Libraries in Wales will be free to join.

WPLSCE 6 Libraries in Wales will provide a safe, attractive and accessible physical space with suitable opening hours.

WPLSCE 7 Libraries in Wales will provide appropriate services, facilities and information resources for individuals and groups with special needs. Special needs can be caused by physical and health impairment, economic disadvantage (e.g. long term unemployment), cultural difference (e.g. language, new arrivals), educational background, or other circumstances that require special library services.


WPLSQI 5 Location of service points Authorities shall ensure that they meet the following criteria for the location of service points and mobile library stops, according to their population density:

3. Access for all

Population density % of households

Distance from library

20 or more persons per hectare:

At least 95% within 2 miles of a static service point

Between 1.1 and 19.9 persons per hectare:

At least 75% within 2.5 miles (or 10 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop

1.0 person or fewer per hectare:

At least 70% within 3 miles (or 15 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop76

Entitlements and indicators in this service aspect are designed to ensure that library services are delivered from buildings and facilities which are welcoming, inclusive and fit for purpose.


WPLSCE 4 Libraries in Wales will be open to all members of their communities.

WPLSCE 5 Libraries in Wales will be free to join.

WPLSCE 6 Libraries in Wales will provide a safe, attractive and accessible physical space with suitable opening hours.

WPLSCE 7 Libraries in Wales will provide appropriate services, facilities and information resources for individuals and groups with special needs. Special needs can be caused by physical and health impairment, economic disadvantage (e.g. long term unemployment), cultural difference (e.g. language, new arrivals), educational background, or other circumstances that require special library services.


WPLSQI 5 Location of service points Authorities shall ensure that they meet the following criteria for the location of service points and mobile library stops, according to their population density:

3. Access for all

Population density % of households

Distance from library

20 or more persons per hectare:

At least 95% within 2 miles of a static service point

Between 1.1 and 19.9 persons per hectare:

At least 75% within 2.5 miles (or 10 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop

1.0 person or fewer per hectare:

At least 70% within 3 miles (or 15 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static service point, or within ¼ mile of a mobile library stop

No stipulation is made with regard to minimum opening hours of static libraries (on a site by site basis) however, authorities are asked to consider the viability of service points which are open for fewer than 10 hours per week. Equally, no stipulation is made with regard to length or frequency of mobile library stops, however it is expected that mobile libraries will visit each scheduled stop at least 12 times per year.

WPLSQI 6 Library useThree measures of use of the library are required, covering the physical and the electronic resources provided. Together, they assess the library’s success in attracting users to its services.


a) the total number of visits to library premises during the year divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000;

b) the total number of external visits to the library’s website during the year divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000;

c) the total number of active borrowers divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000.

The data used should be those as reported to CIPFA for the public library actuals return. This is a performance indicator in the National Strategic Indicators, Leisure and Culture, for Wales (LCL/001), and the guidance for the collection of data and calculation of this

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performance indicator is substantially the same for both frameworks.

WPLSQI 7 User attendances at library events per 1,000 population

The purpose of this indicator is to estimate the attraction of library events for the library’s population to be served, and the extent to which such events meet local need.


• The total number of attendances at events and activities organised by the library service at its own service points or at other locations within the authority during the year, divided by the resident population, multiplied by 1,000.

Events include events with literary, cultural or educational intent, e.g. author visits, reading groups, literary discussions, digital and information literacy workshops, genealogy workshops, health literacy, financial literacy, job seeking etc. Events specifically for children are included, such as storytelling, poetry, music. Authorities may choose to report separately concerning events targeted at specific sections of the population, e.g. visually impaired readers; socially excluded groups.

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Entitlements and indicators in this service area are designed to ensure that the library service provides a range of resources and services to meet people’s needs.


WPLSCE 8 Libraries in Wales will lend books for free.

WPLSCE 9 Libraries in Wales will deliver free access to information.

WPLSCE 10 Libraries in Wales will provide free use of the Internet and computers, including Wi-Fi.

WPLSCE 11 Libraries in Wales will deliver free use of online information resources 24 hours a day.

WPLSCE 12 Libraries in Wales will provide access to high quality resources in a range of formats, including those in the Welsh language, reflecting changing forms of publication.

WPLSCE 13 Libraries in Wales will share their catalogues, to enable a single search of all Welsh library resources.


WPLSQI 8 Up-to-date reading materiala) Library authorities should achieve

either a minimum of 243 items acquired per 1,000 resident population or a minimum spend of £2,180 per 1,000 resident population annually. Books and e-books, periodicals, audio-visual material and electronic resources are all included.

4. Learning for life

b) Acquisitions during the year of materials for loan (including electronic materials for loan) should be equivalent to at least 11% of the lending stock at the start of the year.

WPLSQI 9 Appropriate reading materialThis indicator is designed to ensure an appropriate balance of resources across various sections of the community.

a) The percentage of the material budget spent on resources for children should reflect the percentage of children in the resident population, within ±2 percentage points.

b) Either a minimum of 4% of the material budget, or a minimum of £750 per 1,000 Welsh speaking resident population, should be spent on the purchase of Welsh Language materials.

WPLSQI 10 Online accessa) Every static library and mobile library should

provide a minimum of one device giving public access to the Internet and networked digital content. Authorities should achieve an aggregate total across the authority of no fewer than 9 such devices per 10,000 resident population. Computers, laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices are all included.

b) All static service points should provide Wi-Fi access for users to bring their own laptops or mobile devices.

WPLSQI 11 Use of ICT – % of available time used by the publicAuthorities will report:

a) the percentage of available time allocated for use of public access ICT equipment (i.e. library-provided computers and other devices) actually taken up by users.

Events include events with literary, cultural or educational intent, e.g. author visits, reading groups, literary discussions, digital and information literacy workshops, genealogy workshops, health literacy, financial literacy, job seeking etc. Events specifically for children are included, such as storytelling, poetry, music. Authorities may choose to report separately concerning events targeted at specific sections of the population, e.g. visually impaired readers; socially excluded groups.

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b) the percentage of time during which Wi-Fi services are available that they are used by the public.

This should be aggregated across all libraries in the authority, including mobiles.

WPLSQI 12 Supply of requests This indicator measures the efficiency of the public library service in responding to requests for material which is not immediately available.


a) the percentage of requests for material which are notified to the user as being

available within 7 calendar days of the request being made;

b) the percentage of requests for material which are notified to the user as being available within 15 calendar days of the request being made.

Requests for pre-publication material shall be counted from the date of publication. Material which is not owned by the library but must be acquired by purchase or by inter-library loan is included in the calculations.

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5. Leadership and development

Entitlements and indicators in this service aspect are designed to ensure that the library service is professionally managed with adequate resources.


WPLSCE 14 Libraries in Wales will promote libraries to attract more people to benefit from their services.

WPLSCE 15 Libraries in Wales will regularly consult users to gather their views on the service and information about their changing needs.

WPLSCE 16 Libraries in Wales will work in partnership to open up access to the resources of all Welsh libraries.

WPLSCE 17 Libraries in Wales will provide access to the library service’s strategy, policies, objectives and vision, in print and online, in a range of languages appropriate for the community.

WPLSCE 18 Libraries in Wales will provide a clear, timely and transparent complaints process if things go wrong.


WPLSQI 13 Staffing levels and qualificationsa) Library authorities shall achieve total

establishment staffing levels for the service of 3.6 (full time equivalent) per 10,000 resident population. Staff who do not work directly in service provision, e.g. cleaners, are excluded.

b) The total number of staff (full time equivalent) holding recognised qualifications in librarianship, information science or information management per

10,000 resident population should not fall below 0.65. Staff with qualifications in cognate areas, such as ICT, heritage or leisure management or education and learning may be included in the calculations if they occupy posts on the library staff establishment which require those qualifications, and when the qualifications held are relevant to their current roles and functions within the library service.

c) The designated operational manager of the library service shall, either be the holder of recognised qualifications in librarianship, information science or information management or have undertaken relevant library management training within the last 3 years. Authorities will also report:

i. where this post sits within the local authority management structure;

ii. the post held by the most senior professional librarian (where different); and

iii. where that post sits within the local authority management structure.

d) A minimum of 1% of aggregate staff working hours should be spent in training and personal/professional development during the year. All library staff should be encouraged to undertake relevant training and development.

e) Library authorities may offer members of the community the opportunity to volunteer to support additional library services. Such opportunities can, for example, enhance the life skills and employability of individuals, contributing to tackling poverty outcomes.

available within 7 calendar days of the request being made;

b) the percentage of requests for material which are notified to the user as being available within 15 calendar days of the request being made.

Requests for pre-publication material shall be counted from the date of publication. Material which is not owned by the library but must be acquired by purchase or by inter-library loan is included in the calculations.

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Where there is community involvement in delivering the library service at a branch level, we expect there to be paid staffing working alongside the volunteers in the libraries.

Library authorities that use volunteer staff to deliver additional services shall ensure:

• a designated volunteer coordinator from the library service’s permanent professional staff coordinates those parts of the service involving volunteer workers;

• each volunteer receives a written role description;

• legal requirements are met for each volunteer in relation to their role;

• both induction training and continuing training is provided for all volunteers;

• volunteers are appropriately supervised; and

• they have achieved, or are actively working towards, Investing in Volunteers accreditation.5


i. the total number of volunteers

5 See http://iiv.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/inyourcountry/iiv-wales for more information

ii. the total number of volunteer hours during the year

iii. whether they have accreditation status relating to the NOS or are working towards this accreditation.

WPLSQI 14 Operational expenditureIn the current economic climate it is not thought appropriate to set a target for library expenditure, but spending on the public library service will continue to be scrutinised closely.


a) the total revenue expenditure per 1,000 resident population;

b) the percentages of this total spent on staff, materials and information resources, maintenance, repair and replacement of equipment and buildings, and other operational costs;

c) total capital expenditure per 1,000 resident population.

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WPLSQI 15 Cost per visitThis indicator is useful for justifying expenditure of public funds, giving a proxy for value for money, but it must be interpreted in conjunction with demographic indicators and quality indicators relating to use. It measures the cost of the library service related to the number of library visits, including virtual visits.


• The total revenue expenditure divided by the sum of the number of physical visits to library premises (including mobiles) plus the number of visits to the library web site during the year.

Authorities which complete the CIPFA public library actuals return should use the same data here.

WPLSQI 16 Opening hoursa) Welsh public libraries should achieve a

level of aggregate opening hours across all service points administered by the authority (defined as those that provide access to materials, staff and a range of library services) of no less than 120 hours per

annum per 1,000 resident population.

b) This part of the indicator is concerned with the adequacy of the library service’s maintenance programme and staffing strategy. Authorities will report:

i. the total number of hours of unplanned and emergency closure of static service points as a result of building failure or staff unavailability as a percentage of the total planned opening hours of all static service points during the year;

ii. the number of mobile library stops and/or home delivery services missed as a result of vehicle failure or staff unavailability, as a percentage of the total number of planned mobile library stops and/or home delivery services during the year.

Scheduled opening hours not open as a result of adverse weather conditions, or any other cause beyond the library’s control, are not included.

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The statutory requirements of public library service provision in Wales are enshrined in the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. The performance indicators listed here will assist the Welsh Government in assessing whether or not local authorities in Wales are complying with their duties under the 1964 Act, and in assessing the efficiency of the manner of delivery of library services in Wales.

6.1. Reporting requirements

Each year, local authorities will be required to report their performance against the various elements of the framework. The return will include a compliance rating against the core entitlements – indicating whether these are fully met, partially met, or not met, with appropriate description/explanation where relevant. For all entitlements which are not fully met, the return should also include a comparison to the previous year, and a plan for improvement in the following year.

Individual authority returns will also include data showing performance against the quality indicators included in this framework, together with a comparison for the previous year. Where performance has declined, the return should include the authority’s strategy to halt the decline. Where targets are not met, the return should include a narrative outlining proposals and a timescale to achieve these targets. These data will be drawn together to provide an overview of Welsh public library services as a whole, to assist with identification of good practice, and of areas where action may be required to bring about improvements.

Measurement of the impact of public library services – the difference those services make to people’s lives – is not easily quantifiable. For this reason, a qualitative element will be included in the reporting. Each authority’s return should include at least one, but no more than four, specific case studies describing the impact which the library service has had on an individual, or on a group of individuals, during the year. This is expected to describe

6. Reporting, monitoring and assessment

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The statutory requirements of public library service provision in Wales are enshrined in the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. The performance indicators listed here will assist the Welsh Government in assessing whether or not local authorities in Wales are complying with their duties under the 1964 Act, and in assessing the efficiency of the manner of delivery of library services in Wales.

6.1. Reporting requirements

Each year, local authorities will be required to report their performance against the various elements of the framework. The return will include a compliance rating against the core entitlements – indicating whether these are fully met, partially met, or not met, with appropriate description/explanation where relevant. For all entitlements which are not fully met, the return should also include a comparison to the previous year, and a plan for improvement in the following year.

Individual authority returns will also include data showing performance against the quality indicators included in this framework, together with a comparison for the previous year. Where performance has declined, the return should include the authority’s strategy to halt the decline. Where targets are not met, the return should include a narrative outlining proposals and a timescale to achieve these targets. These data will be drawn together to provide an overview of Welsh public library services as a whole, to assist with identification of good practice, and of areas where action may be required to bring about improvements.

Measurement of the impact of public library services – the difference those services make to people’s lives – is not easily quantifiable. For this reason, a qualitative element will be included in the reporting. Each authority’s return should include at least one, but no more than four, specific case studies describing the impact which the library service has had on an individual, or on a group of individuals, during the year. This is expected to describe

6. Reporting, monitoring and assessment

the use made of the service, and the difference that use made to the individuals or group. Guidance will be provided on the format of the case studies and appropriate material to include. Such case studies will build into a valuable source of evidence of impact and value, and will further promote the spread of good practice across Wales.

A second qualitative element of reporting will be a narrative that demonstrates how the library service is contributing towards both local authority agendas and wider Welsh Government priorities and strategic goals. The purpose of this strand of reporting is to encourage libraries to be aware of the wider social drivers (e.g. health and well-being; digital inclusion including information literacy; literacy, including reading and the connection with digital literacy; community engagement and community benefits, including families, children and young people, older people, welfare reform; Welsh language and culture), to which their service should be able to demonstrate a contribution, and to make explicit their relevance and value to policy makers at local, regional and national level.

Authorities will also be required to confirm that feedback in the form of opinion on the year’s performances achieved by each library service has been adequately considered by the member with responsibility for library services and by the relevant management, scrutiny and performance monitoring procedures. A reporting template will be provided to authorities to ensure that reporting is consistent and comparable across Wales.

6.2. Monitoring and assessment procedures

The process of monitoring and assessing will be led by CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries division of the Welsh Government, and will follow the pattern established in earlier frameworks. Annual returns should be submitted by the deadline each year, and will be scrutinised for completeness by an

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independent reviewer and a peer reference group. The independent reviewer will then prepare a formal written feedback report, covering all aspects of the framework, including all quality indicators and narrative elements, which will be delivered to each authority in the autumn, in time to address any issues raised as part of their formal service planning process. This feedback will be formally disseminated to library authority chief executives and also to council leaders, scrutiny officers or performance managers as well as to the managers of library services. The annual reports will be made public, via the CyMAL web pages.

The independent reviewer will prepare a summary overview each year, including an analysis of overall performances, and significant trends within those performances, against the entitlements and quality indicators. The highest, lowest and median performances in Wales will be calculated for each indicator. The overall analysis will be disseminated to all local authorities. At the end of the framework period a summary report will be published via the CyMAL web site.

The findings of these processes will be brought to the attention of the relevant Minister annually, highlighting achievements and trends and also problem areas, such as declining performances, incidences of non-compliance

or recurring failure, together with a diagnosis of the causes wherever possible. Noteworthy improvements in performances and improving trends will also be drawn to the Minister’s attention.

The core entitlements and quality indicators set out in this framework deal with aspects of the library service which are considered by the Welsh Government to be necessary – but are not necessarily sufficient – for the delivery of a comprehensive and efficient library service under the terms of Section 10 of the Public Libraries Act 1964.

As the ultimate sanction in the cases of failure to deliver a comprehensive and efficient library service, the Welsh Government can institute an inquiry, issue a direction and transfer the library functions of a library authority to itself or to another authority/organisation. Sanctions would be invoked in cases where, for example, a significant number of the core entitlements and performance targets are not reached, there is a failure consistently to reach the average performance of comparable Welsh authorities with no evidence of improvement over time, or performance across the service as a whole is consistently falling year on year.

To date, it has not been necessary to implement any of these sanctions due to constructive discussion between the relevant parties.

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or recurring failure, together with a diagnosis of the causes wherever possible. Noteworthy improvements in performances and improving trends will also be drawn to the Minister’s attention.

The core entitlements and quality indicators set out in this framework deal with aspects of the library service which are considered by the Welsh Government to be necessary – but are not necessarily sufficient – for the delivery of a comprehensive and efficient library service under the terms of Section 10 of the Public Libraries Act 1964.

As the ultimate sanction in the cases of failure to deliver a comprehensive and efficient library service, the Welsh Government can institute an inquiry, issue a direction and transfer the library functions of a library authority to itself or to another authority/organisation. Sanctions would be invoked in cases where, for example, a significant number of the core entitlements and performance targets are not reached, there is a failure consistently to reach the average performance of comparable Welsh authorities with no evidence of improvement over time, or performance across the service as a whole is consistently falling year on year.

To date, it has not been necessary to implement any of these sanctions due to constructive discussion between the relevant parties.

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Customers and communities 13

Core entitlementsEnsure friendly, knowledgeable and qualified staff are on hand to help.

Stage a range of activities to support learning, enjoyment and enable users to obtain the maximum benefit from the available resources.

Provide access to a range of services and resources to support lifelong learning, personal well-being and development, and community participation.

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Quality indicatorsMaking a difference

Customer satisfaction

Support for individual development

User training

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Access for all 17

Core entitlementsBe open to all members of their communities.

Be free to join.

Provide a safe, attractive and accessible physical space with suitable opening hours.

Provide information resources for individuals and groups with special needs.

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Quality indicators Location of service points

Library use

User attendances at library events per 1,000 population

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Appendix: List of core entitlements and indicators

Learning for life 19

Core entitlementsLend books for free

Deliver free access to information

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Provide free use of the Internet and computers, including Wi-Fi.

Deliver free use of online information resources 24 hours a day.

Provide access to high quality resources in a range of formats, including those in the Welsh language, reflecting changing forms of publication.

Share their catalogues, to enable a single search of all Welsh library resources.

Quality indicatorsUp-to-date reading material

Appropriate reading material

Online access

Use of ICT – % of available time used by the public

Supply of requests

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Leadership and development 21

Core entitlementsPromote libraries to attract more people to benefit from their services.

Regularly consult users to gather their views on the service and information about their changing needs.

Work in partnership to open up access to the resources of all Welsh libraries.

Provide access to the library service’s strategy, policies, objectives and vision, in print and online, in a range of languages appropriate for the community.

Provide a clear, timely and transparent complaints process if things go wrong.

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Quality indicators Staffing levels and qualifications

Operational expenditure

Cost per visit

Opening hours

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service improvement and finance scrutiny performance panel · chris howells – head of waste...

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