This morning between 2 and 3am Richard Barrett, Brent's Property
Officer, raided and stripped Kensal Rise Library. About 15 workers took the
books from the library and also took the murals painted in the 1930's
specifically for the library along with all the plaques commemorating
the library's opening by Mark Twain.
They took tables and chairs and other assorted objects including a microwave and a box of sticky tape.They were assisted in this action by about 12 police officers.
Campaigners said:
They took tables and chairs and other assorted objects including a microwave and a box of sticky tape.They were assisted in this action by about 12 police officers.
Campaigners said:
In a meeting with campaigners last week, the new leader of the council, Muhammad Butt promised that the murals and furniture would not be taken.
We asked him to hold off stripping the library until he had organised a meeting with All Souls College, the council and ourselves.
This action this morning is proof that the council had no intention of trying to ensure that the reverter on the library had not been triggered.
Cllr Mo Butt said he wanted to listen to the community, engage with them.
This is how he listens. By taking this action he has jeopardised the ability of this community to run this library.
We may be finished with Brent council but our campaign continues. We will not let their cowardly, middle of the night plundering defeat us.
Cllr Butt's words to us are worse than meaningless.
They reveal what a cowardly, conniving, bunch of dishonest panhandlers they are, but what else would you expect in the Banana Republic of Brent?
Every single labour cllr needs to be told that they are going to suffer in 2014. How can this be a council that represents us if it belligerently betrays us. The fact that this was a 2am operation shows the sheer cowardness of Mo Butt. SOMEONE in the labour ranks has got to come out and challenge him publicly on this cowardly act.
ReplyDeleteMakes no difference. If voting changed anything, you wouldn't be allowed to do it. I keep saying on here, protest is legal acceptance. Thats why you're allowed to do it.
DeleteBrent Council do not work for you, you work for them. If they worked for you they wouldn't be doing such things as instructing contractors to strip a library while you're all asleep.
The Local Don.
Don't worry,all the Labour councillors know that they are doomed,it is just a shame we have to wait so long.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately they can continue taking a wrecking ball to all the vital services we need and hold dear in the meantime.
Who were the contractors that carried out this work for Brent Council?
ReplyDeleteThe Local Don.
I think you will find that the contractors are from the recycling company. It is hard to believe that Brent could take all the stock from the six closed libraries into the small stock support unit on Grange Road (by Willesden Library)for sorting. It appears to me that the boxes were packed in haste as the library service already know the condition and age of all the books in KR and have just disposed of them. Remember KR has been run down for years people! If anyone from the library service cares to disprove my theory then speak up! We know how transparent this has all been...
ReplyDeleteBased on past history, they won't have checked the books for value. I sold one on Amazon for £29.99 which was bought for 25 pence. (proceeds to Barham Library, of course.) Pro booksellers on Amazon Marketplace do very well out of library service carelessness.
ReplyDelete