HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CULTURE CABINET PANEL
WEDNESDAY 18 JUNE 2008 AT 2.00 P.M.
Agenda Item No.
2
BIG LOTTERY FUND: SOUTH OXHEY COMMUNITY LIBRARY PROJECT –
PROGRESS REPORT
Report of the Director of Children Schools and Families
Author: Andrew Bignell – Head of Information Services and Lifelong Learning
Tel:01707 281531
Executive Member: - Keith Emsall
1.
Purpose of report
1.1
To update the Panel on the progress of the South Oxhey Community
Library Project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
2.
Summary
2.1
In 2007, Hertfordshire County Council made a successful bid to the
Big Lottery Fund for a project to remodel and expand Oxhey Library,
extending the public area of the building to include a flexible space for
adult learning and wider community activities.
2.2
The grant of £1.4 million was awarded over a three year period,
subject to the agreement of project outcomes and the acceptance of
three detailed project plans:
 Business Plan
 Capital Project Plan
 Community Engagement Plan
2.3
Five outcomes have been agreed with the Big Lottery Fund.
2.4
The detailed plans were submitted by the deadline of 14th April 2008.
At the time of writing, we are awaiting sign off by the Big Lottery Fund.
3.
Recommendations
3.1
The Panel is requested to note the report.
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4.
Background
4.1
The Big Lottery Fund for Community Libraries is designed to finance
library projects, which will:
 Invigorate libraries as centres of wider community learning and
development
 Create, improve and develop library spaces that meet the needs of
the whole community
 Be innovative and promote good practice in the way libraries are
designed and run
4.2
In 2007, Hertfordshire County Council made a successful bid to the
Big Lottery Fund for a project to remodel and expand Oxhey Library,
extending the public area of the building to include a flexible space for
adult learning and wider community activities.
4.3
The grant of £1.4 million was awarded over a three year period,
subject to the agreement of project outcomes and the acceptance of
three detailed project plans:
 Business Plan
 Capital Project Plan
 Community Engagement Plan
5.
Project Outcomes
5.1
The South Oxhey Community Library Project aims to create a new
library building that will serve as a centre for community information,
learning and development.
5.2
The new library will provide an upgraded venue for a range of wider
community activities, including an extended homework club, family
learning opportunities, computer classes, a job club, the development
of a community archive, reading and writing groups, an access point
for agencies such as Connexions and the Centre for Voluntary
Service, a display space for local organisations and a meeting venue
for local clubs and societies.
5.3
It is a key principle of the project that these extended activities should
be facilitated by the library, but managed and delivered by a range of
identified community partners. This approach will ensure that services
remain relevant to the changing needs of the community, and are
sustainable beyond the lifetime of the project.
5.4
Five specific project outcomes have been agreed with the Big Lottery
Fund:
 Communities will be actively engaged in the development, delivery
and management of library services.
 300 local people will gain the benefit of improved access to
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information, advice and guidance services delivered through the
library building by September 2010.
 The library building at South Oxhey will have a reduced
environmental impact by October 2009, by using less energy and
producing less waste.
 240 adults will improve their skills through participation in learning
activities delivered through the new library by September 2010
 700 children and young people from South Oxhey will increase
their confidence and self esteem through participation in cultural
and learning activities delivered through the library by 2010.
6.
Community Engagement
6.1
A number of community engagement activities have been undertaken
to ensure that the local community is fully involved in the development
of the project.
6.2
An initial consultation exercise undertaken in February 2007 indicated
that local residents would like to see additional community space in
the library used for the provision of adult learning opportunities,
activities for children, arts and cultural activities.
6.3
Draft plans for the new library building were displayed in the library
during December 2007 and January 2008, and adjustments were
made as a result of public feedback.
6.4
During the preparation of the bid, fourteen local partner organisations
expressed an interest in working with the library service to develop the
project. Since December 2007, library staff have worked closely with
these partners to develop an outline service offer for the new library.
Work to refine this offer will continue before the new library opens in
September 2009.
6.5
The Green Heart Partnership was engaged to undertake an innovative
and creative engagement exercise, using an artist to work with the
local community to express their views on what the library service
means to them, and how it could develop in the future.
7.
The new library building
7.1
The existing library building will be enlarged, remodelled, refurbished
and brought up to current technical standards.
7.2
In addition to providing a modernised public library, the building will
offer the following enhanced community facilities:
 A learning suite, equipped with computers for 16 learners and one
tutor, printing and scanning facilities and an interactive whiteboard.
This space will be flexible so that the computers can be accessed
by the general public when classes are not in session.
 A community room that can be used flexibly for meetings, activities
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or informal classes. This room will be divided from the learning
suite by a moveable screen, so that it can be opened out into an
enlarged learning space if required.
 An office space or counselling room that can be used by
community organisations and agencies for one-to-one
appointments that require a confidential setting.
 Display space and an informal seating area in the shared space
between the library and community areas.
 The learning suite, community room, display space and seating
area will be available to community groups inside or outside library
hours.
7.3
The design of the building will unify the old and new areas by means
of a glazed ‘street’ between the library and community areas. The aim
is to create a lighter, brighter, more open and welcoming ambience
throughout the public area of the building, so that people coming in to
use the community facilities will be attracted into the library and vice
versa.
7.4
The new building will also use less energy and create less waste than
the current library, achieving a BREEAM (Building Research
Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating of ‘Very
Good’.
7.5
Plans of the proposed layout and design for the new building are
attached as appendices to this report.
 Appendix 1 – Existing floor plan
 Appendix 2 – Proposed floor plan
 Appendix 3 – Proposed planning elevations
7.6
The construction of the new library is likely to take around 40 weeks.
During this period, a temporary library service will be provided from 39
Oxhey Drive - a former Adult Care Services building close to the
centre of South Oxhey.
8.
Financial implications
8.1
Big Lottery funding of £1,432,367 will cover the cost of the capital
project, project management and community engagement.
8.2
Capital funding of £64,000 for furniture and equipment was agreed by
the County Council in February. This will cover the cost of library
shelving and a new counter/enquiry desk, which was deemed to be
outside the scope of Big Lottery funding.
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9.
Project timetable
9.1
The Big Lottery Fund is expected to approve the plans by the
beginning of June 2008.
9.2
Planning permission for the new library building is expected to be
granted in June/July 2008
9.3
The existing library building will close on 11th October 2008, when the
service will decant to 39 Oxhey Drive.
9.4
Building work will commence in October 2008.
9.5
The new library will open at the beginning of September 2009
Background Papers


South Oxhey Community Library Project - Business Plan
South Oxhey Community Library Project – Community Engagement Plan
(n.b. At the time of writing , these plans have yet to be signed off by the Big
lottery Fund).
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