Showing posts with label Brent Libraries Transformation Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brent Libraries Transformation Project. Show all posts

Thursday 5 January 2012

Brent Council lambasted in New York Times

Kamila Shamsie is the author of five novels, most recently “Burnt Shadows,” which was short-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction. She grew up in Karachi and now lives in London. She wrote this piece for the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of the New York Times.

LONDON — A couple of years ago, after a reading in Karachi, I told off a young man who was asking me to sign a pirated copy of one of my books. Piracy is destroying publishing in Pakistan, I told him. He said he understood but added that because pirated books are cheaper he could buy more of them. It’s not as if Karachi is filled with public libraries, he said.
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A few weeks later, back in London, I walked into my local library and felt immensely grateful for how easily available books were — crime-free. I had no idea then of the crisis facing British libraries (pdf). Over the last year or two, you’d have had to be living under several rocks not to notice.

The part of North London I live in borders the council of Brent, now the site of an intense legal battle to save local libraries that has become the vanguard for similar efforts around the country. On Dec. 29, police officers held back protestors outside Preston Library while local government officials removed all its books, impervious to the nearby poster of Santa, a speech bubble over his head saying “Don’t rely on me; give kids their books back.” Since April 2011, 423 libraries have either closed down or been slated for closure — that’s almost 10 percent of all libraries in Britain.

In Brent, the move is being sold to the public as the “Libraries Transformation Project.” Six of Brent’s 12 libraries will be closed, and the more than $1.5 million that will (allegedly) be saved will then be used to improve the remaining libraries, create a Virtual Library and open a “super library.” That new building will cost more than $4.6 million, an expense that should give pause to anyone who says that tough decisions have to be made in this Age of Austerity — pause that might turn into speechlessness once you realize that Brent Council paid out $460,000 to consultants in March 2011, the same month officials recommended closing down all the libraries. Goodbye Austerity, Hello Transformation.

Losing half the council’s libraries will be transformative, of course. But the word usually implies a change for the better, and however wonderful it is, the super library will do little for those who live miles away. Ninety percent of users who were surveyed during the consultation process at the start of 2011 said they walk to their libraries; moving those libraries out of walking range will obviously limit their accessibility.

This simple fact appears to have been lost on the Brent Council leader, Ann Johns, who justified closing the area’s libraries on the grounds that books don’t cost much and that everyone already has computers and is getting e-readers anyway. Soon, she claimed, all Brent council residents will have access to the Virtual Library.

Putting aside the fact that this ignores how many people go to libraries precisely in order to use the public computers, one wonders whether Johns really thinks it is desirable to read War and Peace or even Tintin on a screen. As for e-book readers: Brent is among the most deprived councils in Britain. The idea that people who are deterred from visiting a library by the cost of bus fare will soon be awash in Kindles and iPads is more fanciful than thinking that Santa Claus can save a library.

Protestors are now mounting a vigil outside Kensal Rise Library, the only one of the closed libraries in Brent that hasn’t yet been emptied. It was opened in 1900 by Mark Twain. He once wrote, “A public library is the most enduring of memorials, the trustiest monument for the preservation of an event or a name or an affection; for it, and it only, is respected by wars and revolutions, and survives them.” Apparently it isn’t much respected by local councils and may not survive them.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Brent Council staff magazine on 'Team of the Year'

From Insight - Brent Council staff magazine

With the future of Willesden Green Library in the spotlight and questions remaining over the rest of the service, readers may be interested in revisiting the responses to the Willesden Green Library Open Day which was held at this time last year. You can find the document HERE.

Saturday 12 November 2011

After the court verdict on libraries, will we have a political verdict at the by-election?

The appeal case concluded at the High Court yesterday with the verdict expected in 3 - 4 weeks time, which is comparatively fast in legal terms.  It appears that the decision will be mainly based on the issue of indirect racial discrimination as outlined in my previous blog.

Although a victory would be excellent news it would not 'save the libraries' as such but would force the council to carry out a proper Equalities Impact Assessment which may change decisions about which of the libraries should be closed.

The letter writing campaign to the Culture Secretary is about the much broader issue of whether the Council is providing an adequate library service after the cuts. The letters call for him to set up a Public Inquiry and post closure evidence on over-crowding of the remaining libraries; loss of study facilities, and children, disabled an the elderly being unable to access a library will be important.

The by-election in Wembley Central opens up the possibility of library closures becoming an election issue. Ealing Road library is in the ward and has suffered over-crowding since the closure of the other libraries. It also has a high Asian population, the group that the Appellants claimed had suffered indirect discrimination as a result of the library closures.

There is an entertaining and informative commentary on the hearing on I Spy Queen's Park HERE

Friday 14 October 2011

Updates from Library Campaigns

A picture that shames Brent Council
From Save Preston Libraries Campaign:
Dear All,

As you will probably have heard on the TV and radio news, our judicial review of Brent's library closure plan was dismissed in the High Court today. Below you can see the mailing sent out by the Cricklewood Library campaign which gives a report on the judgement. The judgement itself is attached. The Council has taken immediate action and closed the six libraries. 

An application for appeal against Mr Justice Ouseley's decision will be lodged with the Court of Appeal on behalf of the SOS Libraries claimants next week . To read a statement by the Campaign solicitors, Bindmans, and the press release issued by the Brent Save Our Six Libraries Campaign, go to our website at http://brentlibraries.wordpress.com/ .
The fund-raising activities planned to support the legal challenge and now the appeal will continue:
  • MONDAY 17 Oct 2011 - STAND UP FOR LIBRARIES (Phil Jupitus, Robin Ince,  the legendary Robyn Hitchcock and others)
          Queens Park Community School Doors 6.30pm – show 7.30pm
  • MONDAY 24 OCTOBER -Preston Pub Quiz - 7.30 for 8pm - Flyer will be circulated soon
  • SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER  - Disco at Mall Community Centre - more information soon

The judicial review was only one part of our campaign and, while we hope that an Appeal Judge will respond more positively, we also want the Government to fulfil their responsibility to ensure that Brent provides an adequate library service.

It is now more vital than ever to persuade the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt , to intervene in the Brent situation. It is absolutely vital you ALL write to Jeremy Hunt (at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) and demand an enquiry. This could save our library, but it needs hundreds of letters and emails to be sent as soon as possible – they said they would make a decision by September, this hasn’t happened, so we still have time. Go to http://brentlibraries.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/appeal-to-the-government-now/ for Jeremy Hunt's email address and some ideas on what to put in your letter.
Dear  Cricklewood Library Supporter

1 High Court Judgement
Mr Justice Ouseley (fresh from his support of Basildon Council against the Dale Farm travellers yesterday ) handed down a pretty damning judgement dismissing the Brent SOS Libraries judicial review today. I suggest those who are going to read the attached judgement may consider having a glass of their favourite tipple nearby!

One of our legal team described it as the worst judgement they had experienced .As is usual the judge refused leave to appeal against his judgement stating that he did not believe there were significant points of law or national issues arising from the case.

He also refused any stay on Brent Council action - except that as he believed there  would not be time before any appeal, if allowed, for the Council to sell the library buildings, then libraries could be reinstated were SOS to be successful.


2 Application to the Court of Appeal

An application for appeal against Mr Justice Ouseley's decision will be lodged with the Court of Appeal on behalf of the SOS LIbraries claimants next week .

If agreed an appeal could take up to six months to be heard

3 Libraries
Immediately after the judgement all six libraries were closed by Brent Council - at Neasden shutters were pulled down and locked, Preston library is being boarded up by the Council and a similar boarding exercise was prevented at Kensal Rise by a crowd of children and their parents.Contractors threaten to return tomorrow to complete the boarding up

Cricklewood was also closed early and the standard notice posted on the door stating that the library would be closed until further notice - and directing callers to Harlesden or Willesden Green.


4 Next action

Discussions are ongoing with all Brent SOS Libraries campaigns - further information to follow

5 Monday 17 October - Queens Park Community School - 7pm

Stand Up For Libraries - Phil Jupitus,Alexei Sayle and others support the libraries campaign

Thursday 13 October 2011

Build on the commitment and perseverance of library campaigners

The old adage that "you don't value what you've got until you lose it" clearly does not apply to Brent library campaigners but it will surely hit home to many others who were not involved now that the Council has decided the six libraries will not re-open.

Of course it is mainly a matter of a place to read, enjoy and borrow books, educate yourself - but there's also so much more in terms of the social usefulness of a library as a provider of information, a place to meet, a safe public space in sometimes alienating areas, somewhere to relax and enjoy the company of your young children, a place where old people are welcome and not ghettoised.

As these community functions go they impact on the local area - everything else costs money: shops, betting shops, pubs, cafes - libraries were free and therefore open to everyone to use and enjoy.  Their demise marks another reduction in the social good of society, in cooperation and mutuality.

However although their loss represents a loss of mutuality and cooperation, the struggle against their loss shows how strong those values remain in our community, albeit not in our council representatives.  Whether an appeal goes ahead or not, or here it succeeds or not, we must continue to build on those values.

The upcoming Brent People's Assembly gives us precisely that opportunity.  I salute the Brent SOS Libraries campaigners for their commitment and perseverance in mounting one of Brent's largest and most energetic community campaigns and hope that they will join in with others in the numerous hard struggles ahead.

Tuesday 9 August 2011

No Brent Libraries Court Ruling until October

It has been confirmed that the judge's decision in the Libraries Judicial review case has been delayed until October.It will be given some time after October 2nd when the new judicial term begins.   As Brent Council promised to keep the libraries open until the decision this means that the Summer Reading Scheme should go ahead as normal at the six threatened libraries. Bindmans the solicitors handling the case will have talks with Brent's solicitors to ensure that no significant damage is done to the Brent library service in the meantime.

The financial appeal for the SOS Brent Libraries fund now stands at more than £20,000, two thirds of the way to the target. More may be needed if the case goes to appeal

Brent SOS Libraries website (where you can donate)  HERE

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Kiss Curls in Court - the latest from Brent Libraries hearing

I popped into the afternoon session at the High Court today to see how the case was progressing. Crammed on to an  uncomfortable, creaking bench and barely able to hear the proceedings my attention kept wandering to the back of Councillor Powney's head where beguiling kiss curls spread across his shoulders. Enough! Back to the serious stuff...

Brent Council's case was being presented and their basic claim was that their decision had been rational, based on 'the facts on the ground' (including their financial plight), that any view of the reasonableness of their decision on grounds of whether their library service was 'comprehensive and efficient' was for the Secretary of State and not the Court, and that their consultation had been thorough and followed common procedures.  They argued that Section 7 of the Libraries and Museums Act mentioned library services and facilities but not buildings as such so that guidance in the Section did not include premises. Their basic case was that the Libraries Transformation Project would give a better library service from fewer buildings.

The areas where the Council's case began to crumble a little under the judge's questioning was the timing and thoroughness of the Equalities Impact Assessment and the lack of detail in the Needs Assessment.  The judge said that the LA seemed to have only assessed needs at a very general level. He  asked if a high level decision has been made on data which had not been spelled out. He said that from the data you could not tell how particular groups, like mothers with young children or schools had been considered. They did not feature in an assessment of need for the particular fixed facility which they could attend. There was no analysis of how the Library Transformation project would cater for them.

Another issue which perplexed him, and Brent's answer hadn't yet satisfied him when the Court adjourned, was the matter of the criteria for voluntary groups to make an offer to run buildings. He was concerned about groups not being informed of the criteria and the evaluation process for bids changing over time. He also asked about whether such offers were supernumerary to what Brent considered (in its transformed state) a 'comprehensive and efficient service'.

The Council side seemed to get a little unhappier as the afternoon proceeded and the Campaigners slightly more confident but it appears that it may eventually be decided on quite narrow interpretations of terms like 'viable', 'robust', 'reasonable' and 'comprehensive'. Brent Council is arguing for a very limited concept of consultation, which is in line with their recent practice - emphasising it is not negotiation, but made great play of the pages of submissions, letters, area consultative forum meeting minutes etc - but did not tell the Court that they had ignored them all.

The proceedings will go on tomorrow morning when the case resumes in Court No 2 at 10.30am. Supporters are urged to get down to the Strand to demonstrate outside and then join the audience in the public gallery.  This helps demonstrate the strength of feeling in the community and the importance of the case.  If you are worried about getting a sore bottom, be reassured that speeches from the Council and Campaigners QCs are not likely to take much more than one and a quarters hours. The judge is unlikely to make an extempore judgement tomorrow and may announce his decision as late as August. Brent Council has promised to take no action over the six library buildings until the judgement is announced.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Preston Community Library proposal will now be considered by Executive

From the Guardian website, but in Brent Labour is doing the Tories' work for them
Sue McKenzie, head of Libraries, Arts and Heritage has now told the Save Preston Library Campaign that their proposal for a community library will now be appraised on the same basis as other proposals and the outcome will be submitted to the Executive On April 11th.

The proposals had been submitted to the Council by e-mail in time for the deadline but were mysteriously not received and not mentioned in the Executive Report published on Friday.  See earlier POST for details.

Town Hall Library Closes Its Doors

No, it's not closing down, just shutting early on Monday at 5pm.  There is a notice posted on the library door that says this is due to the Executive Meeting being held at the Town Hall that evening. The Town Hall Library is usually open until 8pm on Mondays.

Public attendance at the Executive will be limited to 48 ticket holders.  Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis,  from around 6pm and will be given out at the Town Hall door.

The Executive is making a decision on library closures and the Council clearly expects a large attendance of library campaigners. 48 is rather a small number compared with the more than 9,000 people who have signed Save Library petitions: perhaps the Council should have held the Executive at the Wembley Arena!


The Curious Case of the Missing E-Mail

Save Preston Library campaigners searched fruitlessly over the weekend for any assessment or even mention of their proposals for a community library in the report that is going to the Council Executive on April 11th. Cllr Powney had mentioned the proposal publicly when talking to the Wembley Observer about responses to the Library Transformation Consultation. The campaign had asked Brent Council to keep the library open for a further six months while they finalised plans to run it on the successful Chalfont St Giles Community Library model.

Yesterday it emerged that Sue McKenzie had not received the campaign's proposals which had been sent to the Council on March 4th, the deadline day for responses.  The author confirmed that the e-mail had been sent and asked that the Council consider their proposals. Sue McKenzie initially said that it was too late as proposals had to be read by five officers and then promised to consult colleagues today to see what could be done.

The campaigners also discovered that only 50 of the 400 letters sent by the children of  Preston Park Primary School had been seen by Sue McKenzie and that these representations had not been mentioned in the report. Local children will be some of the main losers if the library closes.

The report to the Executive does mention Preston Library.....in terms of options for selling the site.

If the community library proposals are not assessed by officers and an addendum published to the report,  the Executive will be making a decision based on incomplete information and will be ignoring proposals made by a campaign that collected nearly 6,000 signatures on its petition.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Zadie Smith Attacks Government Over Library Closures

Local author Zadie Smith launched a scathing attack on the Coalition government over library closures this morning in a 'radio essay' on Radio 4's today programme. She describes the importance of books in her childhood home 100 yards yards from Willesden Green library, many of which bore the imprint of the library and were returned in two black bags when the library held an amnesty!  She concludes that perhaps the government is happy to see libraries close because in the future people will be unable to read about their attack on public services.

The essay launches a debate about the issue which will carry on during the week.  To listen to the essay follow this LINK

Saturday 26 February 2011

This is what community action looks like!

Determined campaigners brave the rain for a photo-shoot
(Click on images to enlarge)
 Lots of local families crowded into Cricklewood Library today for a 'read-in' which showed the breadth of opposition to library closures. Guest story-tellers and some on the spot volunteers read to more than 70 children who attended throughout the 'read-in' and we even managed to have some parachute games despite the confined space.

Graham Durham of the Save Cricklewood Library Campaign everyone to attend the demonstration against the cuts at 6pm at Brent Town Hall on Monday. Cllr Shafique Choudhary, the only councillor to attend, was thanked for turning up and urged to vote against ALL the cuts on Monday.

Ken Livingstone said that there were two main arguments against the cuts the government were imposing. Firstly President Obama had decided not to make cuts while the economy was still weak and that decision had seen the US economy recovering quicker than that of the UK. Secondly there was an alternative to the cuts and that was to take action against tax avoidance and tax evasion by big business.