After closing half its libraries Brent Council agrees Memorandum of Understanding with volunteer libraries

The Brent Council Cabinet is set to approve a Memorandum of Understanding on Community Libraries at its meeting on Monday.  In 2011 the Council closed 6 of the borough's 12 libraries in what they called the Libraries Transformation Projects. Local residents launched campaigns to keep four of the libraries open: Preston, Kensal Rise, Cricklewood and Barham. Neasden and Tokyngton libraries, the former in a very needy area, appear to have gone for good.

The SOS (Save Our Six Libraries) campaign was faced with the dilemma of campaigning for the retention of securely financed, professionally staffed libraries or keeping a local facility going through a volunteer system and fundraising. Some campaigners thought that keeping some kind of service going temporarily would make it easier for a future administration to restore the library.

The Brent libraries issue became something of a national scandal and contributed to Cllr Muhammed Butt's overthrow of Cllr Ann John's Labour leadership. In the event Brent's closures were ahead of the field and other councils, of various political complexion, have since closed libraries  citing government cuts as the reason. Currently there is a militant campaign in Lambeth LINK.

Since then there have been attempts by various lead members to reach an agreement with the volunteer libraries with Preston and Barham facing particular difficulties because the Council is the landlord of their premises.

The Officers' report LINK sets out the current situation:

Brent’s community libraries receive no direct funding from Council library service budgets. They are wholly independent organisations. They are not included within the Council’s statutory service, and they have full flexibility to tailor their offer to local need and interest and are eligible for various funding streams as independent organisations. 


 The four community library premises are:

·      Barham Library, 660 Harrow Road Wembley HA0 2HB (15 year lease) 


·      Cricklewood Library, 152 Olive Road, London NW2 (999 year lease being finalised) 


·      Kensal Rise Library, Bathurst Gardens, London NW10 5JA (999 year lease being finalised) 


·      Preston Community Library, 2 Carlton Ave East, Wembley HA9 8PL (currently has a temporary lease arrangement). 


The MoU (see below) sets out various ways the Council will support the community libraries without committing to any additional expenditure.

The case of Preston Community Library, where uncertainty remains over its premises as Brent Council seeks to redevelop the site, is addressed directly:
 

A temporary lease arrangement is in place until the end of the 2016/17 school year as a short term solution. Long term plans for the site are at the development stage.
 In September 2016 Cabinet agreed to redevelop Preston Park Annexe for new homes and D1 space appropriate for library use. Since then the Council has appointed 5Plus Architects to lead the design of the redevelopment proposals and undertaken workshops with Preston Community Library to understand their long term service delivery needs and spatial requirements. The next stage of the design process will be to translate the findings into a design solution that is supported by Preston Community Library. Further consultation will then be undertaken on design proposals before final decisions are made. 


The development of the site will provide a potential long term solution for Preston Community Library. However at present the medium term options for the library are not clear. Officers will continue to work to address this with the library within the constraints of the Council’s property portfolio and market options. 


 Council officers recognise the strong social value provided by Preston Community Library and are keen to support the group in continuing to provide a service throughout the transition process

In a curious post on his blog LINK, former councillor James Powney, lead member at the time of the Transformation Project, says:

In Barham, Paul Lorber appears to be trying to play the Council for either financial gain or as part of his political manoeuvrings prior to the 2018 elections.  In Preston, the existing group appears to be given an undue influence that does not sit easily with either the Council's financial obligations or the building's ACV status.  Such arrangements can lead to ugly rumours about the integrity of Council decision making even where there is no legally proven case against them. 

  This is the Memorandum of Understanding:

Brent's volunteer libraries to employ professional librarian

Campaigners at the 'Wall of Shame' - hoardings surrounding Preston Library now operating again as a community library

Following the closure by Brent Council of 6 of the borough's 12 public libraries volunteers have kept services going at four of the closed libraries. They have now received funding, for a limited period,  to employ a professional librarion to be shared between them.

This is the advertisement for the post:
 

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Position description

Title: Professional Librarian

Funding Available: up to £40,000 for period of approx 20 months to 31 October 2018

Commitment: Actual hours will be negotiated but should start by or before 1 April 2017.

Project ends: October 2018

Location: working across Brent

Travel information: Brent is within London Transport Zones 2/4.

Professional community librarian sought by a small network of libraries in Brent, North West London, operating as independent volunteer-run community libraries.

The Brent Community Libraries (BCL) network is made up of four community libraries, spread across Brent, which are at different stages in development and operation. The libraries are all registered charities and each library is supported by a strong group of residents. Brent is one of the most diverse areas in the country and this post offers the opportunity to develop services for people across a wide range of ages, backgrounds and abilities.

The libraries are committed to providing a lively top quality service in their diverse neighbourhoods. We are in an innovative position, collaborating with each other, local community groups and the Council. This is a great opportunity to create a whole new way of approaching how libraries serve the community.

Applicants should have professional library/information science qualification and at least 18 months’ experience of working in a library. Experience of working with community organisations and volunteers is desirable.

The successful applicant will work to develop a community library strategy, train and develop the volunteers who provide the services and liaise with the Brent Library Service, which is strongly supportive of this project, attending meetings as required. They will work at each library, meeting representatives of the community library network by arrangement.

Brent Community Libraries:

·       Barham Library http://barhamlibrary.uk (Friends of Barham Library – FOBL)

·       Cricklewood Library http://cricklewoodlibrary.org.uk (Friends of Cricklewood Library – FOCL)

·       Kensal Rise Library http://www.savekensalriselibrary.org (Friends of Kensal Rise Library – FKL)

·       Preston Library https://brentlibraries.wordpress.com (Preston Community Library – PCL)

For more information about these libraries, please visit their websites (or in the case of FOBL whose website is being update email Paul Lorber on barhamlibrary@hotmail.co.uk.

Brent Council has agreed Voluntary Sector Initiative Funding of £45k (ending Oct 2018) to BCL with FOBL as the contracting entity. £40,000 of this is available for this position.

Application form, job description and person specification can be downloaded from this website or requested from Paul Lorber at barhamlibrary@hotmail.co.uk

Closing date for applications is Friday 10 February

Completed application form with a covering letter explaining your suitability for the position should be sent by email to Paul Lorber at barhamlibrary@hotmail.co.uk

Relay to mark 4 year annniversary of Brent library closures

How will Brent community library campaigns fare in 2015?

As the year draws near its end let's see what the state of play is with the various library campaigns in the borough. These were set up after Brent Council closed 6 of its 12 libraries.

Two libraries,  Neasden and Tokyngton, are now gone for good, but the four others are being supported by community campaigns. This is the current state of play (information from the campaigns' blogs, Facebook pages etc).

CRICKLEWOOD LINK

The campaign is optimistic that it will have a space in the new development but has a wary eye on events at Kensal Rise:

 On 12^th November Brent Planning Committee approved the application to demolish the building that has served as Cricklewood Library since the 1920s, and build a new mixed use development. The new four storey development will have a community space on the ground floor, sharing the building with six flats.

Friends of Cricklewood Library have been named as tenants of the community space, pending legal agreements, and we intend to run a library service, making the most of using the space by making sure it is adaptable and can be rented out to community groups for activities. We’ve got exciting plans/ideas, and a strong team – and there is a lot of talent and energy in the community to draw on.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign to keep our local library. There is a lot of work to do – but what wonderful chance to run a library/community centre and keep it right here. Please let us know if you would like to be involved – get in touch by email

 KENSAL RISE LINK

Regular readers will know about recent events which saw the building go up for auction and then fail to reach its reserve price. The update on the campaign blog states:

We understand that you may be confused and concerned by the latest turn of events – the auction of the library.

The library building may or may not have a new owner.

The focus of the Friends of Kensal Rise Library has always been, and will continue to be, to work for the establishment of a library in the Kensal Rise Library building. We remain focused on this intention and our resolve is strengthened by the on-going support of the Kensal Rise/Kensal Green community - we are gratified by the trust the community places in us and are heartened by the many messages of support we continue to receive.

We received a letter on the 16th December from All Souls College, who, by the terms of their sale to Andrew Gillick, retain control of the D1 community space, whoever is the owner of the building.

Any subsequent owner of the freehold of the library inherits this obligation regarding the D1 space.

PRESTON LIBRARY LINK

The campaign hopes to be able to run a community library from the old building when it is no longer needed as a temporary annex to Preston Park Primary School.  They hope this will be in Spring 2015 when building work at the school is completed.  During the May local elections Cllr Roxanne Mashari pledged the building at a peppercorn rent to any 'local community group who can provide a sustainable community library.':

We will not open to competitive tender in order to give preference to local groups if they can demonstrate health and safety sustainability etc. and we will offer help and assistance through Brent CVS the voluntary sector and continued support and networking through the Brent libraries forum which has proved successful for the likes of the Friends of Kensal Rise.

The campaign is now asking for more volunteers, donations from local business etc LINK
It has already been using the building out of school hours as a community hub.


BARHAM LIBRARY LINK
 

The Card Room, Barham Park

 This campaign has run temporary libraries in Wembley High Road and at Sudbury Town station. but wants to move back into Barham Park Card Room (above) that has remained empty for some time,
The Council in October 2013 had plans to turn it into a cafe on a similar basis to the one in Roundwood Park but nothing has happened since and the building, donated to the public by Titus Barham remains unused and subject to deterioration.

Friends of Barham Library have said that  they are willing to offer refreshments to the public using the park if they run a community library from the building.

Cllr Michael Pavey has now become Chair of the Barham Trust and there has been a further delay as they review the governance of the Trust.  In response to a letter from Francis Henry, Property Manager for Friends of Barham Library, he said: 

I reiterate what I have said previously: I have absolute biases (I suspect this should be 'no biases' MF) on this issue. I have not been involved in any of these campaigns. My sole interest is to try and use my role to ensure that future generations can enjoy a beautiful Barham Park.

Henry had written:

I think the time has now come for you and the other Trustees to stop deferring and make a decision on this issue.

As an Administration you have now announced plans to Cuts Services. The proposals to close Youth & Community and Sports Centres while massively cutting the budget for youth services confirms the need for the voluntary sector to pick up the pieces.
Friends of Barham Library and other Volunteer Library Groups in Brent have picked up the pieces and provided makeshift services, replacing services  lost after you and your colleagues closed 6 libraries. You will recall the arguments against closures including the loss of study spaces for young people, the loss of a local safe 'community facilities' where people could go and the fact that over half the active users of the closed libraries were young people under 19.

Friends of Barham Library can make effective use of the Card Room and other parts of the Barham Buildings still available for access and not let to ACAVA. We can provide a Volunteer Library, a meeting place, venue available for giving advice, study space etc etc we can even arrange to provide refreshments (not a full blown commercial Cafe which has no chance of success). In simple terms we can provide some of the activities lost as a result of a successive and ever worsening cuts in local community facilities and services.

We have a clear record of delivery, ability to source premises, materials, books and cash.

Our shop in Wembley High Road was let to us on a two week notice - we have been there since July 2012. Sudbury Town Underground Station is let to us on similar terms but we have been there and run our activities since September 2013.

To be able to run effective activities over extended hours and to be able to raise more cash from various charitable sources we need more permanent premises and a longer security of tenure. We also need to be in Barham Park.

I and our many supporters find it very odd that the Trustees of the Barham Park Charity were prepared to bring in an organisation such as ACAVA from a long way away, who provide a service which no one asked for, while denying a group of local people, providing activities that local people actually want, a right of access to a building which was gifted to local people for their use.

I am at a loss to understand what your role is. Is it to facilitate and support local people to run activities for the benefit of their local community or is your job to block them. At present all you actions suggest that it is the latter.

I am not one for platitudes and meaningless words. I prefer direct language and straight dealing. So no more dithering on your part (or unnecessary obstruction from your officers). It is time for decisive action on your part.

There is time for you to make a decisive statement before 31 December and a clear indication that you support what we wish to achieve. If you at long last say YES before the end of this year we will ensure that the building is ready to serve local people by 31 March 2015.

If however you have no intention to allow Friends of Barham Library back into the building then please have the decency to say so now. We will all then know where we stand.

It is a measure of the importance of libraries to local people that these campaigns have kept going through difficult times and branched out  imaginatively into other activities in support of their cause. Debate continues about the role of volunteers and the need for a well funded professional library service but there can be no doubt about the commitment and staying power of these campaigners.

The Seighart Independent Library Report for England noted LINK 

There are examples of volunteer only libraries being set up across the country though there is a tendency for these to be established in reasonably affluent areas and there are still  questions over their long term viability. The more disadvantaged localities often have the greater need for such a service but they don’t tend to have the resources, experience or confidence to take over the running of their library.

As they enter 2015 with varying degrees of confidence I wish all the campaigns success in 2015.