After the controversy over the attempted sale of Kensal Rise Library, Cricklewood Library is now up for sale. As the library is an asset of community value there is now a period in which community interest groups can lodge notice that they are potential bidders
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So much for both Kensal Rise and Cricklewood having faith in Gillick to give the community a Library.
Profit motive is strong to simply flip the buildings to someone else and let someone else develop with probably no Library space.
I am completely and utterly surprised. Not. :(
So much for all Roxanne Mashari and James Denselow's promises, not to mention Butt.
Well, well - who'd have thought it...? As the ACV moratorium on the sale of the former Kensal Rise Library building nears its end (May), another begins as Andrew Gillick puts his second former Brent-library acquisition up for sale.
As for the ACV library-listings themselves - were they ever more than window-dressing by the new regime at Brent Council, designed to keep campaigners onside in the wake of the Ann John Libraries Transformation Project fiasco - in much the same way as the 'Localism' Act is itself nothing more than a sop to civic-minded citizens, tying up their time and energy in a mostly futile attempt to protect their neighbourhoods from property speculators and charlatans? The much-deserved Queensbury triumph is the exception that proves the rule.
In light of the Cricklewood library sale - another former All Souls College asset, stripped by the oxymoronic 'charity' to further endow its coffers - an update on the outcome of the CPS investigation into the email scam surrounding Andrew Gillick's Kensal Rise Library purchase is posted separately below.
As promised above, below is an update on the outcome of the CPS investigation into the email scam surrounding the Andrew Gillick's Kensal Rise Library purchase:
'It is bitterly disappointing that the police have chosen to ignore the evidence found in the council’s own inquiries and drop their investigation. When the future of the building affects hundreds of Brent residents and the entire Kensal Rise community, any issue of alleged fraud must surely be a priority in order to maintain the trust of local people.
'Whilst I know that this Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government has cut the police force by a fifth in the last three years, I am troubled that this investigation has not been carried out as a matter of urgency. Brent Council will be writing to demand that the police review their original decision and launch an appropriate investigation' - council leader Mo Butt speaking to the Willesden and Wembley Observer in February 2014 after the initial decision of the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) not to pursue the email affair.
Cllr Butt was reacting to the public outcry which followed the revelation that the majority of online comments backing the property dealer's planning application for the historic library building were false - real addresses were stolen and fictitious names added, in an attempt to deceive planning officers about the strength of local feeling. May's local election was approaching, and memories of the political fall-out from the grandiose-sounding Libraries Transformation Project (LTP) - aka 50% branch-library closures - would have been etched on Cllr Butt's mind. Allowing the CPS to choose inaction was not an option. And the CPS responded - the case was reopened. But in December 2014, after nine months and some 40 pages of inquiries, the case was again closed without any charges being brought.
Almost all the comments backing the Mr Gillick's planning application have been traced to five ISP addresses, three in England, two in Ireland. Brent police confirm that the 'developer' was interviewed in the presence of his solicitor, through whom he issued a prepared statement.
According to Brent CI Andy Jones: 'It appears likely that there may be evidence to link the suspect with the communication of support but for a fraud to succeed there is still a requirement to prove gain or loss'. A CPS spokesman told the Brent & Kilburn Times: 'Having carefully considered allt he materail supplied, we have decided that was insufficient evidence to support a realistic prospect of conviction in this case. The evidence did not prove this to the required standard and we therefore advised the police that no further action should be taken' (BKT, 1 January 2015). Borough Commander Mick Gallager has gone further and 'has directed that police will not re-open any further lines on enquiry...unless directed to by the CPS, as the seriousness of the alleged offence does not justify further commitment over the 9 months of comprehensive investigation... there is little likelihood of a successful prosecution and it is not in the public interest to commit further asset and resource [sic] to this enquiry'.
Another election is on its way but this time council leader Butt has remained resolutely silent about the latest CPS decision. The councillor's Twitter bio states that he's 'passionate about empowering local communities'. Before the ACV-moratorium on the sale of this fine historic building - one of few in Brent - ends in just over one month, it would be helpful if Cllr Butt made a public statement on the affair. Does he agree with the borough commander's backing of the CPS' decision not to prosecute, and for the reasons given? Doesn't he regret that no-one will be held publicly accountable for the deliberate attempt at fraud?
The Kensal Rise Library building is still up for sale, at the post-auction starting-price of £1.25m. It seems likely that its purchase by Mr Gillick was only ever speculative.
The site of The Queensbury, another ACV building will be next. Only difference is their planning permission was kicked out whereas with the library the community use was part of a successful application.
PS Sorry, 'deliberate' should have been deleted from third line up in comment above. There is no such thing as an accidental attempt at fraud...
Is FKRL still in 'negotiations' with Gillick?
They simply posturing at the time anything to get their photos in the Kilburn Times.
SHAME on Brent Labour
But that 'community use' aka the D1 space isn't guaranteed. It would be good to have an update from FKRL on whether All Souls followed through on its bursar Seaman's boast that the college intended to draw up a 'binding' lease on the D1 space, irrespective of whoever are the subsequent owners of the building. The college had clearly been stung by the temerity of its partner in the asset-stripping of the Kensal Rise neighbourhood in putting KRL up for auction.
A property sold with planning permission secured ups the selling-price, of course.
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