Agenda item

This report advises the Committee of the petitions presented at Council meetings, received by the council or sent via the e-petition facility, including a summary of officer’s response to the petitioners.

Discussion:

The Committee received a report setting out petitions received and a summary of the officer responses. This included details of a petition campaigning for a mountain bike trail/freeride course, which had passed the ten-day deadline for referral to the Committee.

The report set out details of two further petitions, both opposing the relocation of Strood Library from Bryant Road, Strood to 133 High Street, Strood. As provided for in the petitions scheme, the lead petitioners for both petitions had referred them to the Committee for consideration. The report set out details of the original petitions, the officer response and subsequent grounds for referral to the Committee. The Chairman also updated Members, advising that at the Council meeting on 23 January 2014 an additional 411 signatures had been submitted for the first petition (as set out in the report) and an additional 694 signatures for the second petition (as set out in the report). The Committee was further advised that Miss Shoard and Mr Robinson, representing the signatories on the first and second petition respectively, had been invited to attend the meeting to explain their concerns.

The Chairman invited Mr Robinson to address Members.

Mr Robinson questioned the decision taken to close the existing library and relocate to 133 High Street, Strood. He expressed concern as to the lack of public consultation on the current proposals and the validity of relying upon consultation undertaken on the previous scheme on the refurbished Tesco’s site.

Mr Robinson highlighted the costs that would be necessary, in a third party’s building, to create the community hub and expressed concern as to the future of the community hall at Bryant Road. He commented on the potential impact on the library offer by incorporating it within the wider hub of services and expressed concern as to the use of the Housing Revenue Account to fund the work. He referred to the availability of existing advice services on the High Street and, whilst acknowledging that moving libraries to the High Street was positive, believed that this was the wrong site and needed to be considered within a wider regeneration plan for Strood.

Mr Robinson concluded by asking about the cost of the scheme and recommending that the scheme be halted to enable a cost benefit analysis to be undertaken. He emphasised the need to retain the community hall and queried what would be done with the remaining site at Bryant Road. He stressed the need for the Council to change its practice concerning public consultation.

The Chairman invited Miss Shoard to address Members.

Miss Shoard referred to her question and the answers she had been given at Full Council on 23 January 2014. She explained how the existing library on Bryant Road was a valuable resource for the people of Strood and that it was currently conveniently situated in a densely populated area, it was easily accessible and close to bus stops.

Miss Shoard questioned the ability of the new facility to benefit Strood traders and referred to the opposition of the Strood Town Centre Forum to the scheme, who reportedly favoured the retention of a retail unit. Members were referred to the close proximity of three local schools that used the existing library and the added distance and additional roads that would need to be crossed was highlighted.

Miss Shoard raised concern as to the parking and road system at the proposed site. This included the impact of the market on the availability of parking spaces, and whether 30 minutes free parking would be sufficient for library users.

Miss Shoard concluded by requesting that the Council re-examine the feasibility of this scheme.

The Deputy Director, Customer Contact, Leisure, Culture, Democracy and Governance was then invited to address the Committee.

Members were advised of the Council’s longstanding aspiration to establish Community Hubs in each town centre and that the Community Hub programme was the Council’s strategic approach to enhancing libraries and widening the offer available through a gateway to council services. Members were advised that the proposals for Strood represented significant investment into the High Street and would bring greater vitality to the town centre.

It was noted that the proposals included a larger space for the Children and Family zone and that the Community Hall would be retained on the Bryant Road site.

The Committee was advised of the required renovation of the access road to the rear of 133 High Street and that parking for people with disabilities would be provided. It was noted that this had formed part of the Planning Consent for the change of use from shop to library and Community Hub. The Deputy Director also referred to the commitment to provide free time-limited parking, and the current proposal was to provide six bays within the Temple Street Car Park.

Members were assured that the Council had approached the landlords of 133 High Street before the Strood Community Project had moved into the property and that the building had been empty when officers had viewed the unit. The Committee was further advised that the Strood Community Project, which had occupied the property on a short-term licence, had now vacated the building.

In his concluding remarks, the Deputy Director acknowledged there were strongly held views, but stated that the proposals were in the best interests of the library service and would be positive for Strood Town Centre. He also referred to the comments of one of the original Lead Petitioners, who had subsequently withdrawn their support for the petition, who had stated that a library and hub in the High Street might after all be better for Strood.

The Committee then considered the matter and the Deputy Director responded to questions. This included discussion on:

Consultation – The adequacy of consultation on the proposals to relocate Strood Library was considered. This had consisted of the consultation undertaken as part of the planning application process and that undertaken on the earlier scheme on the refurbished Tesco’s site, which it was acknowledged had been favourably received. Some Members expressed concern as to how Councillors, especially Ward Councillors, had been notified of the proposals.

Financing – The Committee considered the use of the Housing Revenue Account to finance the project and some Members emphasised the need for a costing exercise to evaluate the use of a separate hub, in smaller premises on the High Street, whilst retaining the Library at its current location.

Access and car parking – Comments were made as to the accessibility of 133 High Street, as compared to the existing site at Bryant Road, and the potential impact for local schools that currently accessed the existing library. Members also discussed the adequacy of the vehicular access and the appropriateness of providing the free, time-limited car parking for Council services. During this part of the discussion the Deputy Director referred to the limited availability of on-street parking in Bryant Road and that the provision of free car parking was in response to concerns raised and not a facility offered at the Council’s other hubs. Members were assured that Parking Attendants would monitor both free and disabled bays, and that the appropriate traffic safety audits would be undertaken when work on the access road was undertaken.

The provision at 133 High Street – Members commented on the aspiration of establishing Community Hubs in each of Medway’s main town centres and the approach of safeguarding libraries by widening the offer to other Council services. The potential impact for increased footfall for Strood as well as the potential impact on businesses in Bryant Road was also considered. In response to comments, the Deputy Director advised that the new location would have a larger space for the Children and Family zone and the adults section would be comparable to the existing provision. It was also stressed that the project was in keeping with national thinking on the regeneration of High Streets.

During the discussion on this item the following motion was moved and lost when put to the vote:

“In order to help inform the Cabinet’s decisions in this matter, this Committee requests officers to:

(a)   undertake consultation to demonstrate the level of public support for a move of the Strood library into the High Street.

(b)   Undertake a costing exercise to establish a separate Community Hub in smaller premises in the High Street area whilst retaining the library at its current site to compare against the projected cost of the existing proposals.

Further, request that the Cabinet pause any progress on the current proposal until the information requested has been presented.”

Decisions:

a)                 Members noted the petition response and officer action as set out in section 3 of the report.

b)                 Members noted the petition referrals, as set out in sections 4 and 5 of the report, thanked the Lead Petitioners for their contribution and agreed to take no further action.