The Good Library Blog

CPA measures are used in all (English?) Councils. They are collected across all services and produce an overall score for each authority. The library ones are the PLSSs and a few others. This is all due to change soon, anyhow, as the authority scoring system is changing. Impact measures have been suggested for all sorts of situations, not just libraries. They are a good idea but very difficult to collect consistently.

That is exactly what I meant--

the CPA measures are a passing tootle and the Impact measures are an idle dream. Where is the management and leadership? Consistency and clarity are important - especially in the management of a public service.

James - you just make excuses all the time. I've spotted it. Try not to.

I wasn't aware I had made any excuses for anything. I was only providing information that you don't seem to have that CPA is used, and has been for some years, to assess the performance of local authority services. What you get, though, is management driven to chase CPA scores because it improves the overall score of the authority. Sometimes this leads to improvements of service, sometimes it leads to arbitrary decisions made just to artificially lift scores, which doesn't lead to consistent management.

What I mean James is that we are always being given excuses why the public don't get the best possible service. There is always some reason that makes that impossible. You've just done it again. The public shouldn't have to care about the complications of government- they expect managers, highly paid for what they do, to put the public first. That's what they pay for. We don't care how difficult your life is-- we just want decent public libraries.

I think the "public" may be more sympathetic to the travails of public servants than folk think. John Pateman made much the same point as you Tim-only a mite more patronisingly in his case- but I think many people are savvy enough to know that sometimes 'just X' isn't as simple as all that.
It should be,perhaps,but it isn't. Ought isn't is as a teacher of mine was wont to say. And changing some of the 'is' would require a change in government policy, nay thinking.

Pete- in the case of public libraries, unless we untangle the knot, they will become even more dead than they are now.

Let us put this problem right. It isn't simple- I understand that-- but it is solveable.

First step -- senior managers to know what they have to do and be resolute and make sure it gets done. No more senior manager moaning "but that's how local government works" -- it's their job to make it work properly.

Or the pussy cat comes to sit outside your door and a lot of jobs get lost

Yes- it is the job of government and politicians to make it right. And they are so very good at that.
When private business moan about red tape, can we level the same arguments at them?
My local library isn't dead by the way.
The 'problem' is only solvable with some good will on all sides.
Tim, have you ever thought of running as a councillor and putting deeds openly and accountably to words?

I'm a single issue person. But nevertheless I have tried to get into a position with several councils- and have succeeded-- where words have become deeds. There are quite a few councils now in which I have a hand. It's beginning to work

Might we know the names of these councils? As public bodies confidentiality shouldn't be an issue, as you have said with respect to the purchasing issue.
And how are you accountable in this issue? Other than at second hand via the councillors.

In due course

Fair enough- but when might that be? When money has been spent? When the project is evaluated?
I assume that the council has a manifesto based mandate for its *specific* actions?
Good luck to them, if they can improve service cut costs and not sack anyone.

Tim,
I see in your latest entry you have reported on Hillingdon. Good luck to all concerned- councillors, staff and users.