Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.  A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

There were no declarations of interests.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 30 May 2017.

Minutes of the meeting held on the 30 May 2017 were approved.

To receive questions from the public in accordance with the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

The Leader welcomed Councillor Bowie, Chair of the Library Select Committee and Dave Saunders, Strategic Development Manager.  Councillor Bowie read out a response to the review and highlighted that –

-       other local authorities had taken different approaches to protect their libraries, such as Devon County Council protecting their libraries through a trust;

-       other authorities such as this Conservative administration, have proposed taking a hatchet to the library service reducing libraries in Plymouth 17 to 7;

-       the committee expressed significant disappointment on the level of response to the consultation, in particular from children and young people;

-       the committee also raised significant concerns over the lack of weighting within the criteria used to assess libraries;

-       the criteria used in assessing the Library Service should have identified the libraries best placed to provide equality in the future and by removing them now risks the life chances for the future generations.

The Leader thanked Councillor Bowie but felt that more drastic plans had been put forward by other local authorities with regard to their library closures.   Dave Saunders also thanked the scrutiny process and the public responses received which would be considered in the final plan.

Councillor Jordan, Cabinet Member for Culture stated that this issue should have been looked a few years ago and this administration had laid out the position and noted the consultation.  This was one of the most in-depth consultations undertaken with at least one Cabinet Member attending each of the meetings to give members of the public the opportunity to meet with the decision makers.

The Leader reported that the final proposals for the Plan for Libraries would be considered at Cabinet on Tuesday 20June 2017 and then Full Council on Monday 3July 2017.

Agreed that Cabinet note the contents of the report.