Scrutiny Topic Group 27 February 2009 New Barnfield Mobile Library Services

Mobile Library Service Glenda Wood:Head of Libraries, Culture & Learning Derek Knight:Head of Operations, Planning & Performance Jean Holmes:Head of Logistics & Continuity Michele Murphy:Property Project Manager Neil Baxter:Mobile Services Manager

Programme for day Morning session: current issues  Q&A session with expert witnesses Visit to an Urban and Rural Mobile Afternoon session: future issues  Q&A session Recommendations

Issues and challenges Extensive county wide service Popular with local residents Reviewed and reorganised in last five years Different from static libraries Facing new challenges and change is inevitable Long lead in time for effective change

Mobile library services: An Introduction Neil Baxter Mobile Services Manager

A single staffed service Mobile Services Supervisor 18 Library Assistant/Drivers 1 Centres Delivery Driver 2 Mobile Services Assistants Mobile Services Manager

Our services Universal Stock and information Library catalogue Reservations Gateway to all HCC services

Our services Five Urban Mobile Libraries Serve customers in urban neighbourhoods Weekly stops 53 stops in nine settlements Access for those who cannot get to static libraries

Our services Five Rural Mobile Libraries Serve customers in more rural locations Serve customers on shorter stops in urban locations Fortnightly stops 306 stops in 173 locations Support both individuals and communities

Our services Accessibility:  Stopping places  Limited mobility of some customers Public transport Distance from static libraries Complexities of routes and stops:

Our services Rural and Urban: What’s in a name? Hitchin Mobile: Route 2 – fortnightly stops in rural locations Route 8 – fortnightly stops in urban locations

Our customers Customers in majority of settlements across the county Targeted services Community focus Individual service

Our targeted services Three Community Service Mobiles Support for residential homes, sheltered housing and day centres 218 stops on a three weekly route plan More personal service Home Library Service Centres Deposits 227 stops on a bi-monthly route plan

Information Technology Best Value Report 2003 Introduce ICT onto vehicles using mobile telephone technology Longer stops for communities to increase access to ICT in line with corporate priorities, e-government principles and Framework for the Future Provision of management data to measure take up of services in rural communities to help with HCC’s social inclusion agenda

Information Technology 2003/04 pilot on one vehicle 2004/05 extend pilot to all vehicles Route re-organisation Internet access Single staffing

Information Technology Portable laptops Catalogue Information Referral point Reservations Renewals

Our IT challenges Reliability Connectivity Staff and Customer feedback Reconfiguration of stops

What our customers think of the service “ The mobile library is an essential part of village life and has been a wonderful service for me for more years than I care to remember ” Public Library User Survey 2006

“ As my husband is disabled we rely on the library which stops opposite our house. We use this facility every week…and the staff are very helpful and cheerful ” What our customers think of the service Public Library User Survey 2006

“ The man who looks after the mobile is a credit to you. He is helpful, polite and always cheerful. This is an excellent service that I have not been using for long – my kids love it too! ” What our customers think of the service Public Library User Survey 2006

Flexible service? Domino effect of any route changes Customers are sensitive to change Currently operating at full capacity

Key messages We know: We are a valued service We are a complex service We need to change to meet future demands

Key issues affecting current service delivery Michele Murphy Property Project Manager

Key issues: Staff recruitment and retention Vehicle replacement programme

Recruitment & retention Single staffing Changes to legislation

Single staffing Unique combination of skill sets required for Library Assistant/Drivers Long term appeal of lone working Limited flexibility of staffing resources

Changes to legislation “Acquired rights” to drive C1 category vehicles prior to 1997 Introduction of driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence

Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) Legal requirement which will affect our Library Assistant/Drivers 35 hours training over five year period Must have completed training by September 2014 Means starting training in September 2009 Continuous training

Five CPC modules Fuel economy training Drivers’ hours and tachographs Maintenance and Regulations Health and Safety Customer service

Impact on our service Cost of additional training Affect on staff recruitment AND staff retention

Vehicle replacement programme Our vehicles are custom built Our vehicles are all leased Leases expire between 2010–2017 Lead-in period required for substantial changes to the existing fleet

Questions that we need to ask now: What service do we want to deliver? What vehicles do we need to build?

Summary of current service provision Complexity of service delivery to target groups Technical witnesses  Alan Smith – Head of Contract Management Services  Peter Shaw – IT Network Design Visits to two Mobiles  Hertford Heath and Panshanger

Mobile Library Service Lunch

Issues for the future How does the service perform? Demographic changes Strategic priorities for the future Recommendations

How well does the service perform? Does the service reach target groups identified in the Best Value Review? Is the service used and valued by local communities it serves? How efficient is the current service delivery model? How does the service compare to Mobile Libraries in other local authorities?

Does the service reach its target groups ? BVR concluded that Longer stops for communities to increase access to IT in line with corporate priorities. Increase use by the under fives in disadvantaged areas. This would be dependent on the capacity of the vehicle fleet after the route review. Ensuring equality of provision to the communities served

Equality of provision Mobile Service route review changes: Maintained service to most settlements in county Maximised opening hours to public by reducing travelling time by 8% Resources (vehicles and staff) used more effectively

Membership of target groups – Mobile libraries Total Collection Management/ Flexible membership: Membership is difficult to extract from usage figures but in January 2009  3,406 members registered at Mobiles  328 were under five 2006 Public Library User Survey  Large proportion of elderly users on Mobiles

Public Library User Survey 2006 Age profile of people surveyed in 5 Mobile Libraries Age Mobiles 22%17%25%35% Statics 45%18%25%11% Community service vehicles aimed largely at 65+ population

Is the service used and valued by local communities it serves? Customer satisfaction: 2006 PLUS survey – 84% satisfaction compared with 90% satisfaction for static libraries – but balanced with positive comments:  'Our Mobile Library service is fantastic. This is largely due to the librarian who makes us feel so welcome, is always cheerful and helpful'  'The Mobile library is an essential part of village life and has been a wonderful service for me for more years than I care to remember'

Route re-organisation complaints xx says he is the only customer who uses the mobile in Wallington. The change of day from Wednesday to Friday is not convenient for him and he will no longer be able to use it. Annoyed that we have changed the day that the mobile visits from Monday to Wednesday. She works on Wednesday. Unhappy that the mobile is no longer stopping in Davis Crescent. Is able to walk to High Street but would not be able to carry the books as well. Very concerned that the mobile would cause congestion outside the school now that the times of the visit have been changed to coincide with the children leaving the school at the end of the day. Used to use the stop in Ryder Avenue which is no longer on the new schedule. She is unable to walk very far and is now unable to access other stops in Ickleford.

How well used are the Mobile Libraries? Visits per hour Issues per hour Redbourn 22.1 Redbourn 27.2 Wheathampstead 21.9 Woodhall 26.9 Woodhall 21.3 Adeyfield 25.9 Cuffley 21.0 St Albans Mobile (Urban) 24.8 Welwyn 18.0 Stevenage Old Town 24.7 Stevenage Old Town 17.6 Hertford Mobile (Rural) 23.6 Sawbridgeworth 15.4 Stevenage Mobile (Urban) 22.5 Hemel Hempstead Mobile (Urban) 8.5 Cuffley 21.4 Stevenage Mobile (Urban) 8.5 Brookmans Park 19.8 St Albans Mobile (Urban) 8.1 Cheshunt Mobile (Rural) 18.7 Harpenden Mobile (Rural) 6.5 Hemel Hempstead Mobile (Urban) 17.3 Watford Mobile (Urban) 6.3 Watford Mobile (Urban) 17.1 Welwyn Hatfield Mobile (Urban) 6.2 Kings Langley Mobile (Rural) 17.0 Hertford Mobile (Rural) 6.1 Harpenden Mobile (Rural) 16.7 Cheshunt Mobile (Rural) 6.1 Hitchin Mobile (Rural) 16.2 Hitchin Mobile (Rural) 5.0 Waltham Cross 15.5 Kings Langley Mobile (Rural) 4.2 Welwyn Hatfield Mobile (Urban) 14.8

How efficient is the service? Unplanned closures Cost

Unplanned closures – hours lost Apr- Dec Vehicle repair/ servicing; severe weather Lack of staff Total hours lost Percentage of total opening hours % %

Cost Contractual costs Staffing499,500 Vehicle Service Level Agreement172,000 Other non-pay costs23,800 Total695,300 Income-12,000 Total£683,300

Comparative cost and use As a proportion of total library service Staffing costsIssuesVisits 4.27%3.7%1.7%

Comparisons with other local authorities? Compared with 33 County authorities, HCC has: 6th largest population 3rd smallest area 2nd highest population density 3rd highest number of mobiles 8th highest average weekly opening hours

Key messages for Performance Indicators Reliability is a concern Low footfall but a valued community asset Further research is needed on:  Who uses the Mobile Library Service in Hertfordshire  Cost benefit analysis of the present service  The effectiveness of Mobile library services in other local authorities

Impact of social and demographic change Michele Murphy Property Project Manager

Key issues: Ageing population Transport and access Community cohesion

Ageing population Life expectancy in Hertfordshire is above the national average Number of people aged 100 or over 2005 = = 2,030

Ageing population By 2025 number of people aged 75+ is predicted to increase from 82,000 to 116,000 Increase will vary across the county North and East predicted to increase by 60%

Ageing population

Transport and access Car ownership in Hertfordshire is high but not universal:  17.7% of households have no car  41.9% of households have one car Public Transport in rural areas can be difficult to access  Nationally more journeys in rural areas are made on foot than by public transport Problems not confined to rural areas. Lack of access to convenient bus services is also a problem in towns Other motoring costs (eg parking fees) can prohibit visits to town centre facilities

Community cohesion Decline of local services: Continuing trend of fewer rural services eg banks, shops, post offices Out of town retail parks impacting on rural and urban settlements Communities sensitive to further reduction in local services

Community cohesion Housing Development: Hertfordshire population is estimated to increase by 18.4% by 2031 Increase will vary around county (Welwyn Hatfield 33.2%, North Herts 26%, Stevenage only 9.5%) Pressure to provide additional housing to meet government and regional targets  West of Stevenage, North of Harlow Need to provide access to local services for new developments

Community cohesion Diverse communities: Every part of Hertfordshire has its own mix of ethnic communities Numerically significant groups identified in some areas Economic migration means populations are liable to change Can our service respond to the needs of these communities and change when required?

Contribution to Hertfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy Safer and stronger communities An ageing population Health and wellbeing

Contribution to Hertfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy Transport and access Sustaining Hertfordshire’s unique character and quality of life

Future development of the service Key questions to consider: Service currently at capacity. How should we adapt in order to meet changing demands? What is the right balance of universal services to communities and targeted services for individuals?

Future development of the service Key questions to consider: How could we work in partnership with others to enhance services? What type of vehicles do we need to deliver the service effectively in the future?

Summary and recommendations Low footfall but a valued community asset Reliability of service is a concern Service needs to respond to changing future demands  Sensitive to any change  Full capacity/ limited flexibility  Long lead in time to introduce changes Further research on future delivery  Who uses our present service  Different delivery options  Balance between a universal and targeted service Protection from future budget constraints? No simple answers