Friday 16 December 2011

Brent Library Judgment on Monday

Lord Justices Pill, Richards and Davis are to give their judgment into the closure by Brent Council of six of its 12 libraries at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London.
 
The judgment will be handed down at 2 pm in Court 72. Brent SOS Libraries appealed against a High Court judge’s decision that Brent’s closures were lawful at a two-day hearing  on 10-11 November.
 
Dinah Rose QC argued on behalf of library users and Brent SOS Libraries Campaign that in deciding to close six libraries, the library had failed to prevent discrimination against groups such as Asians, young children and local school children, by neglecting to assess the impact on such groups.
 
Using the very same data that the council executive used to decide to close the libraries, Dinah Rose showed that 28% of Brent’s population is Asian and that 46% of active library users were Asian, so it was
obvious that the closure of the libraries would disproportionately affect Asian council residents.
 
She also showed that the highest concentrations of Asian populations in the borough were concentrated around three libraries – Preston, Barham and Tokyngton – all of which were closed. She had evidence to show that since closure, the library that users of these three libraries were expected to use instead – Ealing Road – was overcrowded.
 
Meanwhile the Council Executive has twice deferred its consideration of a report on the redevelopment of Willesden  Green Library which would mean its closure for two years and it has been revealed that the lease on Kingsbury Library Plus expires on September 2013. This work case scenario would leave only four fully-functioning libraries left.
 
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has since launched an inquiry into library closures to which the Save Preston Library Campaign, Brent SOS Libraries and library users from Brent will submit evidence.

5 comments:

brentwatch said...

It's not really four libraries left. Willesden was planned to move to temporary accommodation while the site is re-developed.

Martin Francis said...

The question I suppose is whether that will be adequate replacement of a 'flagship' library when others have been closed. I have amended to 'fully-functioning'.

brentwatch said...

I'm sure Brent's definition of adequate will be quite different from ours :)

Anonymous said...

xxx

Anonymous said...

Soon there won't be any libraries left in Brent, especially with Willesden due to close June next year for a couple years of "transformation" and the lease on Kingsbury not renewed. What should we do? Experienced staff are lost and forced out. Social cohesion goes straight out of the window if people are isolated and stuck at home. Save our libraries.