Cultural & community services

Performance Indicators 2003/04
Comparing the performance of Scottish Councils

Prepared for the Accounts Commission
January 2005

The Accounts Commission
The Accounts Commission is a statutory, independent body which, through the audit process, assists local authorities in Scotland to achieve the highest standards of financial stewardship and the economic, efficient and effective use of their resources. The Commission has five main responsibilities:

• securing the external audit including the audit of Best Value and community planning

• following up issues of concern identified through the audit, to ensure satisfactory resolutions

• carrying out national Best Value studies to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government

• issuing an annual direction to local authorities which sets out the range of performance information they are required to publish.

The Commission secures the audit of 32 councils and 34 joint boards (including police and fire services). Local authorities spend over £9 billion of public funds a year.

Audit Scotland is a statutory body set up in April 2000 under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. It provides services to the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission. Together they ensure that the Scottish Executive and public sector bodies in Scotland are held to account for the proper, efficient and effective use of public funds.

Main findings

Libraries

Indicator 1
Borrowers from public libraries 
The number of borrowers during the year remained steady at just under 1.2 million people for the 28 councils providing reliable information. The total number of items borrowed fell by over 1.5 million items (4.7%) to 32.5 million. Overall, the average number of issues per borrower was 27.2, continuing the decline over the last six years. The information provided by Argyll & Bute, Eilean Siar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands was unreliable.

Indicator 2
Changes in library stock
Councils have failed to meet the national targets for additions to lending stock every year since the targets were established in 1995. In 2003/04, for the 30 councils reporting reliable information, adult stock additions fell to 66.2% of the target. Additions to stock for children and teenagers fell to 65.5% of the target. The City of Edinburgh and Shetland Islands councils provided unreliable information.

Indicator 3
Use of library learning centres and learning access points
New information about the use of libraries shows that just over 287,000 people used learning centres and learning access points, about 7.2% of the population. Each of them used the service an average of 8.3 times, a total of 2.4 million occasions. Four councils, (Argyll & Bute, Highland, Perth & Kinross and Shetland Islands), provided unreliable results.

Museums

Indicator 4
Museums
Overall, nearly 80% (196) of relevant museums were registered under the Museums and Galleries Commission scheme, 14 more than in the previous year. The proportion of council-operated museums registered rose from 83% to 88%; and  the proportion of museums supported by councils which are registered rose from 59% to 70%. 

Pools and sports facilities

Indicator 5
Attendances at sports facilities
There were nearly 36 million attendances at council pools and sports facilities for the 30 councils that reported this information. This was an increase of approximately half a million attendances compared with the previous year. The average number of attendances per head of population at all facilities was just over 7.3, similar to the previous year. Eilean Siar and Perth & Kinross reported unreliable information.

Introduction

Each year councils publish a range of information to show people how well they are providing their services and how they compare with other councils.

This pamphlet contains information on five indicators relating to cultural and community services. They are:

• the level of borrowing from public libraries
• additions to library stock
• the use of library learning centres and learning access points
• the proportion of museums managed or supported by councils that are registered under the Galleries and Museum Commission scheme
• attendance levels at swimming pools and other indoor sports facilities.

Using the information
Several factors affect the way a council performs its activities. You need to be aware of these in order to understand why results may vary. Some of these factors are outwith the control of a council – for example, population size and density, geographical area, and the mix between urban and rural settlements. Others may be specific to the service or the groups of people it serves. These local factors may mean that a council with a performance which, at first sight, appears to be worse than that of another has, in fact, done better given the circumstances it faces.

The statutory performance indicators cover key aspects of the performance of council services. Further information about the performance of councils’ cultural and community services can be found in councils’ annual public performance reports and on their web sites. The following web sites also contain useful information:

Slainte; Information & Libraries Scotland
http://www.slainte.org.uk/
SportScotland
www.sportscotland.org.uk

In this pamphlet we have shown information for councils for 2003/04 and where appropriate made comparison with previous years. 

Key
Councils have a statutory obligation to report the information for each indicator. In cases where a council has failed to do so it is shown in the narrative and tables for the relevant indicator as ‘not reported’.

Auditors appointed by the Accounts Commission have reviewed authorities’ arrangements for producing performance information. An asterisk (*) against the data for a council indicates that the auditor expressed doubts about the reliability of its arrangements for producing the information. In such cases we have shown the information separately and have not included it in the calculation of overall Scottish averages, although such information was included prior to 2001/02.

Other pamphlets published by the Commission cover:
Corporate management
Education and Children’s services
Environmental and regulatory services
Housing and social work services
Police and fire services

For 2003/04 the Commission will be reporting 77 indicators of the performance of council, fire and police services. The publication process will involve:

• six published pamphlets featuring 48 indicators
• a compendium  of information on all 77 indicators on the Commission’s website
• individual council profiles on the website.

The indicators are selected by the Commission according to criteria identified in consultation with CoSLA, SOLACE, the Scottish Consumer Council and the Scottish Executive. They are kept under review and the Commission consults about any changes it considers making. The Commission will review its approach to statutory performance indicators in the light of the new requirement on councils to report their performance publicly, and the new Best Value audits of each council and police and fire authority.

Libraries

Indicator 1: Borrowers from public libraries

Borrowers as a percentage of the resident population, and the average number of issues per borrower.

This indicator shows the number of people who borrowed books and other items of media during the year, expressed as a percentage of the resident population. It also shows the average number of items they borrowed.

Points to bear in mind
The percentage of the population who actively use library loan facilities may be affected by:

•levels of investment in the lending stock (see indicator 2)

•the marketing policy of the council

•whether the council supplies the stock its users want

•the loan period and the number of items that may be borrowed

•the location of libraries

•the demand for library stock.

Commentary
Twenty-eight councils provided reliable information for this indicator. The information provided by Argyll & Bute, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands was unreliable and Eilean Siar continued to fail to report the required information. 

Across Scotland, the proportion of people borrowing from libraries was 24.3%, almost the same as the previous year. For the councils providing reliable information, the number of borrowers remained at just under 1.2 million people during the year and the total number of items borrowed fell by over 1.5 million (4.7%) to 32.5 million items. Overall, the average number of issues per borrower was 27.2, continuing the decline over the last six years.

Borrowing varied among councils, from 17.9% of the population in Inverclyde to 34.8% in East Renfrewshire. Only two councils (East Renfrewshire and Moray) reported that more than 30% of their population borrowed items from their libraries. Similarly, the level of borrowing varied from 19.5 items per borrower in South Ayrshire to 34.5 items per borrower in Clackmannanshire.

Indicator 2: Changes in library stock

Library stock turnover per 1,000 population.

This indicator reports the level of stock turnover across councils against the targets for annual additions to stock recommended in Standards for the Public Library Services in Scotland (1995), a report published by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). For books and audio materials the recommendation for adults is 280 items per 1,000 population. For children and teenagers the recommendation is 100 items per 1,000 population.

Points to bear in mind
In setting its policy for expenditure, each council will take into consideration:

•the demand for the various categories of library stock

•the level of wear and tear on stock (eg, due to repeated use)

•the level of non-return and theft of stock

•patterns of past investment in the lending stock (eg, whether there are gaps in the coverage of the stock which the council has decided to address)

•income gained from charges for lending (eg, video hire charges).

Commentary
Councils have failed to meet the national targets for additions to lending stock every year since the targets were established in 1995. In 2003/04, for the 30 councils reporting reliable information (excluding City of Edinburgh and Shetland Islands), adult stock additions fell to 66.2% of the target. Additions to stock for children and teenagers fell for the second year to 65.5% of the target, from 79% in 2001/02.

For adult lending stock, Clackmannanshire was the only council that met the target for additions. Four councils (Highland, Moray, North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire) achieved at least 90% of the target. Eight councils (Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll & Bute, Eilean Siar, Inverclyde, Midlothian and Perth & Kinross) reported that additions were less than 50% of the recommended target.

For children and teenage lending stock, three councils (Clackmannanshire, Orkney Islands and Stirling) achieved in excess of the recommended target for additions. Inverclyde reported that additions were less than 30% of the recommended target.

Indicator 3: Use of library learning centres and learning access points

Users as a percentage of the resident population, and the average number of times terminals are used.

Learning centres and learning access points are terminals providing a range of networked resources including office packages, database services and internet and e-mail facilities within public libraries (including mobile libraries). This indicator shows the use made of the service.

Points to bear in mind
The introduction of learning centres and learning access points has been phased across Scotland, so that some councils have had these facilities for longer than others. Inverclyde Council was the last to introduce them, in Spring 2003.
 
In the longer term, the use of these facilities will reflect, in part, the extent to which each council:

•develops provision across its area in accordance with the needs of its population

•markets the availability of the service.

It is too early to say whether those councils that lend more books to a higher proportion of their population (see indicator 1) will also have the highest use of their learning centres and learning access points.

Commentary
In 2003/04, the first year in which this service was available from all Scotland’s councils, 27 councils reported reliable information on the number of users of learning centres or learning access points (excluding Argyll & Bute, Eilean Siar, Highland, Perth & Kinross and Shetland Islands). Twenty-eight councils (excluding Argyll & Bute, Highland, Perth & Kinross and Shetland Islands) reported reliable information on the level of use of the terminals.

Across Scotland the number of users was just over 287,000, about 7.2% of the population. Each of them used the service an average of 8.3 times, a total of 2.4 million occasions.

The proportion of the population using the terminals varied from 3.6% of the population in Aberdeenshire and East Ayrshire up to 14.5% in Renfrewshire. Five councils (Glasgow City, Midlothian, Moray, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire) reported that the learning centres and learning access points were used by more than 10% of the population. 

The average usage level varied from 19.8 times per user in Aberdeen City to 3.9 times per user in South Lanarkshire.

Museums

Indicator 4: Museums

The proportion of museums that are registered under the Museums and Galleries Commission registration scheme.

This indicator covers museums and galleries directly managed by councils and those for which they provide either direct financial support (eg, in the form of grants) or indirect support such as staff time or the use of buildings.

Registration with the Museums and Galleries Commission shows that a museum has met established standards in relation to its financial management, collecting policy, documentation and public accessibility. The indicator therefore identifies the proportion of museums meeting a quality threshold covering important aspects of their management.

Points to bear in mind
Only museums that meet the UK Museums Association definition and are eligible for registration are included. Art galleries are eligible for registration if they have permanent collections. Museums do not include:

•natural or archaeological sites, and historical or industrial buildings which do not have associated collections

•science centres

•institutions that are based on live collections ie, zoos, botanical gardens

•venues for temporary exhibitions

•record offices, libraries, sound or other archives.

Commentary
In 2003/04 councils reported that they either managed or financially supported 246 museums, six less than for the same councils in the previous year.

Overall, nearly 80% (196) of these museums were registered under the Museums and Galleries Commission scheme, 14 more than in the previous year. The proportion of council-operated museums registered rose from 83% to 88%; and the proportion of museums supported by councils which are registered rose from 
59% to 70%.

Pools and sports facilities

Indicator 5: Attendances at sports facilities

The number of attendances per head of population for swimming pools and other indoor sport and leisure facilities.

This indicator reports the use made of swimming pools and other indoor sport and leisure facilities in each council. 

Points to bear in mind
Important factors that influence attendance levels include:

•age, quality, size and range of facilities available

•the extent to which facilities and activities are publicised

•the variety, scheduling and cost of activities on offer

•the location of facilities in relation to other competing leisure facilities.

Pools vary considerably, from small traditional pools to major water activity leisure centres, and appeal to very different groups of users, so care should be exercised in comparing the figures for councils. 

Indoor sport and leisure facilities are those provided by a council at purpose-built indoor sports and recreational amenities other than pools.

The indicator does not record the number of users; a council’s attendance figure may reflect high usage by a small number of individuals or low usage by a large number of individuals. The indicator may also conceal wide variations in usage between different facilities within a council.

Commentary
In 2003/04, there were nearly 36 million attendances at council pools and sports facilities for the 30 councils that reported this information (excluding Eilean Siar and Perth & Kinross). This was an increase of approximately half a million attendances compared with the previous year. The average number of attendances per head of population was 7.3, similar to the previous year.

Swimming pools
Overall, councils reported 3.6 attendances at swimming pools per head of population.

Attendance levels varied among councils, from 2.2 per head of population in East Ayrshire to 15.9 per head of population in Shetland Islands. 

Other indoor sports and leisure facilities
The average attendance per head of population at indoor sport and leisure facilities was 3.8, an increase of 0.2 compared with the previous year. Attendance varied significantly from 0.1 visits per head of population in Stirling to 16.3 visits per head of population in Shetland Islands. Six councils (Angus, Clackmannanshire, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands) again reported more than six attendances per head of population.

Contacts

If you have any specific queries about the performance information, you may wish to contact your council. A contact person for each council is given below. If you have general queries about this pamphlet, please contact Jim Lakie, e-mail jlakie@audit-scotland.gov.uk or Alec Taylor, e-mail ataylor@audit-scotland.gov.uk at Audit Scotland, T. 0131 477 1234. 

Aberdeen City, Beth Smith, Strategic Support Officer, Aberdeen City Council, Office of Chief Executive, Town House, Broad Street, Aberdeen AB10 1FY, 
T. 01224 523418, email bsmith@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Aberdeenshire, David Hughes, Chief Internal Auditor, Aberdeenshire Council, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB16 5GB, 
T. 01224 664184, email david.hughes@aberdeenshire.gov.uk 

Angus, Jan Adam, Performance Co-ordinator, Angus Council, Chief Executive’s Department, The Cross, Forfar DD8 1BX, T. 01307 473788, email adamj@angus.gov.uk 

Argyll & Bute, David Clements, Performance Manager, Chief Executive’s Unit, Argyll & Bute Council, Kilmory, Lochgilphead, Argyll, PA31 8RT, 
T. 01546 604205, email david.clements@argyll-bute.gov.uk 

Clackmannanshire, Alexa Brown, Information Officer, Performance and Strategy, Clackmannanshire Council, Greenfield, Alloa FK10 2AD, 
T. 01259 452105, email abrown@clacks.gov.uk 

Dumfries & Galloway, Charlie Proctor, Consultant, Policy and Performance Unit, Corporate Services, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Council Offices, English Street, Dumfries DG1 2DD,
T. 01387 260098, email charliep@dumgal.gov.uk 

Dundee City, Rod McKay, Principal Accountant, Finance Department, Dundee City Council, Tayside House, Floor 4, 28 Crichton Street, Dundee DD1 3RF, 
T. 01382 433522, email rod.mckay@dundeecity.gov.uk
 
City of Edinburgh, Barry Leathem, Trainee Consultant, Performance & Development Unit, City of Edinburgh Council, Department of Corporate Services, 12 St Giles Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PT,
T. 0131 469 3858, email barry.leathem@edinburgh.gov.uk

East Ayrshire, Carol Foote, Principal Officer, Corporate Development, East Ayrshire Council, Chief Executive’s Department, London Road, Kilmarnock KA3 7BU, 
T. 01563 576159, email carol.foote@east-ayrshire.gov.uk 

East Dunbartonshire, Tom Duncan, Acting Manager Policy and Public Affairs, East Dunbartonshire Council, Tom Johnston House, Civic Way, Kirkintilloch, Glasgow G66 4TJ, 
T. 0141 578 8000, email tom.duncan@eastdunbarton.gov.uk 

East Lothian, Adam Stewart, Policy Officer, Chief Executive’s Department, East Lothian Council, John Muir House, Haddington, East Lothian EH41 3HA, 
T. 01620 827884, email astewart@eastlothian.gov.uk

East Renfrewshire, Tracy Butler, Corporate Policy Assistant, Chief Executive’s Department, East Renfrewshire Council, Council Headquarters, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire G46 6UG, 
T. 0141 577 3167, email tracy.butler@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk

Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Andrew Mackenzie, Head of Strategy (Internal), Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Council Offices, Sandwick Road, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS1 2BW, 
T. 01851 709201, email amackenzie@cne-siar.gov.uk

Falkirk, Barbara Knowles, Policy and Research Officer, Corporate and Commercial Services, 
Falkirk Council, Municipal Buildings, Falkirk FK1 5RS, 
T. 01324 506016, email barbara.knowles@falkirk.gov.uk 

Fife, Saul Hain, Policy Officer (Planning & Review), Policy & Organisational Development, 
Fife Council, Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, Fife KY7 5LT, 
T. 01592 413986, email saul.hain@fife.gov.uk

Glasgow City, Tracey Cunningham, Senior Policy Development Officer, Corporate Policy, 
Chief Executive’s Office, Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow G2 1DU, 
T. 0141 2873625, email tracey.cunningham@ced.glasgow.gov.uk

Highland, Ruth Grant, Performance Analyst, Highland Council, Council Offices, Glenurquhart Road, 
Inverness IV3 5NX, 
T. 01463 702416, email ruth.grant@highland.gov.uk 
 
Inverclyde, Brian Purdie, Head of Customer Services, Inverclyde Council, Chief Executive’s Office, 
Municipal Buildings, Greenock PA15 1LY, 
T. 01475 712748, email brian.purdie@inverclyde.gov.uk 

Midlothian, Michael Callaghan, Executive Services, Corporate Policy, Midlothian Council, Midlothian House, Buccleuch Street, Dalkeith EH22 1LY,
T. 0131 271 3444, email michael.callaghan@midlothian.gov.uk
    
Moray, Sandi Pick, Research and Information Officer, Corporate Services, Chief Executive’s Office, 
The Moray Council, Council Office, High Street, Elgin IV30 1BX,
T. 01343 563040, email sandra.pick@moray.gov.uk
 
North Ayrshire, Jim Montgomery, Principal Performance Review Officer, North Ayrshire Council, Chief Executive’s Office, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE,
T. 01294 324125, email jmontgomery@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
 
North Lanarkshire, Graham A Reid, Information & Research Manager, North Lanarkshire Council, Chief Executive’s Office, Civic Centre, Motherwell ML1 1TW, 
T. 01698 302266, email reidga@northlan.gov.uk

Orkney Islands, Jim Love, Performance Review Officer, Orkney Islands Council, Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1NY, 
T. 01856 888761, email jim.love@orkney.gov.uk

Perth & Kinross, Michelle Cochlan, Strategic Planning Officer, Performance Planning & Management, Perth & Kinross Council, 
2 High Street, Perth PH1 5PH, 
T. 01738 475071, email mcochlan@pkc.gov.uk

Renfrewshire, Oliver Reid, Principal, Corporate Policy, Renfrewshire Council, Council Headquarters, North Building, Cotton Street, Paisley PA1 1WB,
T. 0141 840 3298, email oliver.reid@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Scottish Borders, Brian Emmerson, Team Leader – Better Government & Democracy, Scottish Borders Council, Council Headquarters, Chief Executive’s Department, Newtown St Boswells, Melrose TD6 0SA,
T. 01835 824000 ext.5301, email bemmerson@scotborders.gov.uk

Shetland Islands, Anna Henry, Policy and Development Assistant, Chief Executive’s Office, 
Shetland Islands Council, Town Hall, Lerwick, Shetland ZEI 0HB,
T. 01595 744510, email anna.henry@sic.shetland.gov.uk

South Ayrshire, Sheila Adams, Auditor, South Ayrshire Council, Town Buildings, 5-9 High Street, Ayr KA7 1LY, 
T. 01292 617 669, email Sheila.adams@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

South Lanarkshire, Lynne Marshall, Research Supervisor, Finance Services, South Lanarkshire Council, 
4th Floor, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AB,
T. 01698 455244, email lynne.marshall@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 

or Angela Watson, Research Assistant, Financial Performance, South Lanarkshire Council, 4th Floor, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AB,
T. 01698 455309, email angela.watson@southlanarkshire.go.uk

Stirling, Lesley J Graham, Corporate Performance Officer, Stirling Council, Corporate Services, Quality, Performance and Research Team, Viewforth, Stirling FK8 2ET, 
T. 01786 442982, email grahaml@stirling.gov.uk

West Dunbartonshire, May Simpson, Policy Assistant, West Dunbartonshire Council, Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, Council Offices, Garshake Road, Dumbarton G82 3PU, 
T. 01389 737242, email may.simpson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk

West Lothian, Jim McIvor, Best Value Manager, West Lothian Council, West Lothian House, Almondvale Boulevard, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 6QG, 
T. 01506 777122, email jim.mcivor@westlothian.gov.uk 

Audit Scotland
110 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 4LH

Telephone
0131 477 1234
Fax
0131 477 4567

www.audit-scotland.gov.uk

ISBN 1 904651 57 7