Agenda item

The Committee considered a report on a proposed reconfiguration of the Council's property portfolio to ensure that all Lancashire's residents would continue to receive high quality services from a reduced number of properties.

The report also proposed revised service delivery models in relation to the Library Service and Wellbeing, Prevention and Early Help Services.

A 12 week comprehensive consultation on the proposals would be undertaken with service users and the wider community.  It was noted that during the consultation period county councillors would be invited to discuss the proposals on a district by district basis.  This would provide additional important input to the proposals affecting their areas.  District Councils were also encouraged to make their views known.  A final set of proposals based on the results of the consultation would be presented to Cabinet in September 2016.

Members stressed that the consultation exercise needed to be meaningful and that any suggestions on the proposed reconfiguration of the property portfolio and revised service models also needed to be given full and proper consideration.

Members were informed that the County Council would work with any organisation wishing to take over the running of a council building but no financial resources would be provided by the Council following the sale or asset transfer of the building.

It was MOVED and SECONDED "That the Cabinet be asked to not close any libraries and use some of the £15m identified by the Conservative Group at the Full Council budget meeting in February 2016 to keep the libraries open." 

Upon being put to the vote this was LOST.

It was then MOVED AND SECONDED "That the Cabinet be asked to defer consideration of the report until its next meeting to enable the Executive Scrutiny Committee to give further consideration to the proposals."  Upon being put to the vote this was also LOST and it was:

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet be noted and that apart from the above, no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.