BRENT SOS: Tribute to Brent library campaigners 10 years after Brent Council closed half our libraries

 In the guest post below Paul Lorber, volunteer at Barham Library reflects on the battle against the closure of six Brent libraries, at the time half of the total libraries in the borough.  There were debates within SOS Brent Libraries over the issue - some wanted to concentrate on maintaining the provision of a locally accessible, properly funded professionally staffed library while others, although agreeing with that as a long-term aim, wanted to safeguard the actual buildings and stocks with  short-term volunteer led provision. Taking the legal route was an option undertaken only after considerable debate and produced national headlines. LINK

Four of the six were 'saved' one way or another but Neasden, despite being in one of the poorest areas in the borough had no high profile backing it and is now a church. Tokyngton Library, across the River Brent from St Raphaels Estate, was sold off to an Islamic Association in which  Muhammed Butt  was alleged to have an interest. LINK On the other hand Kensal Rise campaigners had access to a long list of celebrity authors to back their campaign.

The closures led evetually to the demise of   Council Leader Ann John, and her replacement by Muhammed Butt.  It is interesting to revisit the Open Letter that former Brent Labour councillor Graham Durham wrote to him at the time. LINK 

Brent Council began to give some tentative assistance to the volunteer libraries but with no commitment to full reinstatement of the services, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with them in 2017.  LINK

 Recently Preston Community Library after some internal disagreements, has moved to temporary premises while a block of flats is being built on the  redeveloped site with space for a volunteer library on the ground floor.

 

Guest post by Paul Lorber, library volunteer, Friends of Barham Library

 

he second week of October marks 10 years since Labour Councillors in Brent put the final nail in and closed 6 public libraries in Brent. Libraries in Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston and Tokyngton were closed after a long battle to save them.

 

There was massive opposition to the closures proposed by the Labour run Brent Council with large petitions, protests and well attended meetings. Local Campaigners raised over £30,000 and took the Council to Court and it was only after they lost their case and the Judge denied them the right to appeal that Brent Council was finally able to close the 6 public libraries for ever.

 

What Labour Councillors did not expect was the determination of dedicated local people to fight on and establish their own Community Libraries to continue the provision of service to the public.

 

They decided to close 6 local libraries (half the total) to save around £1 million. Around 80% of that cost related to staff costs. Local people asked the Council to hand over the Library buildings so that volunteers could run the Libraries instead. This offer was refused despite the fact that 3 of the Library buildings were gifts to local people - Cricklewood and Kensal Rise from All Souls College Oxford and Barham Park from Titus Barham of Express Dairies.

 

For 10 years dozens of local volunteers have kept the dream of local libraries alive and 4 have survived - Barham Community Library has moved around between Barham Primary School, High Road Wembley and finally Barham Park itself and has been actively providing a service for 10 years. Preston Community Library eventually fought its way back into its own building and while Kensal Rise and Cricklewood Community Libraries had their old buildings sold to developers All Souls College, to their credit, insisted that space was made available to the reborn Community Libraries. Kensal Rise has been operating for some time and Cricklewood is hoping to open soon.

 

While the Community Libraries cannot compete for money and resources with Brent Council funded libraries they compensate for this with the dedication of their volunteers and their ingenuity in providing a wide range of local services. Barham Community Library has put on live theatre, Preston has a Film Club while Kensal Rise has put on Author and Comedy events. They all provide the usual book lending services and a wide range of activities for people of all ages.

 

Some of us have been around right from the outset. Over the past 10 years hundreds of people have helped and volunteered to keep the Community Libraries and the spirit of community service alive.

 

I still think that Labour councillors made a big mistake in closing the public libraries and refusing to work in partnership with local people. It is for Labour Councillors to look in the mirror and admit that they made a big mistake.

 

Today, while remembering the battles of 2010 and 2011, I just want to pay a Tribute to all those dozens of dedicated people who recognised the importance of local libraries and would not allow them to die. And of course the best way of recognising this achievement is by paying a visit and supporting your local Community Library in Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise and Preston is by paying a visit and borrowing a book or two.

 

 

Brent campaigners at a national demonstration

 

EDITOR'S NOTE

I would be interested in other campaigners' comments on the campaign and what has eventually transpired. 

 

 

Barham Library Table Top Sale Saturday

Local residents penalised on Wembley Event days

As locals know it is pretty hard getting around the borough on Wembley Event Days with over-crowded public transport, traffic jams, curtailed bus routes and parking restrictions. Many give up moving around the area to go about their normal business, shopping, visting relatives or attending local events.

Now it appears to have got harder with Brent Council refusing Barham Community Library, staffed by volunteers,  Event Day parking permits for library events and community lettings that happen to take place on event days.

Paul Lorber asked for what he thought would be routine parking permits for the library and received this reponse from Brent Council:

After consulting our 2015 parking strategy document which is available online at https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16403337/parking-strategy-2015.pdf, I can confirm that we are unable to issue the dispensations that you have requested. I have attached a copy of this strategy for your convenience. 

I draw your attention to article 3.120, titled “Places of worship and community centres”. therein it states;

“Many places of worship are situated in residential areas. People often use their cars to travel to worship or to attend related community activities, and this can sometimes cause   congestion and/or conflict with the parking needs of local residents and businesses. With the exception of event-day place of worship permits in Wembley (only premises that are not in a CPZ are eligible), no special on-street parking provision is made for places of worship and community centres.”

I believe that this article precludes the library from any issuance of dispensations, or any other special on-street parking provision.  

I have reviewed the public transport options available around the library, I note.

·      Sudbury Town Station is 0.2 miles away (five minute walk) serving the Piccadilly line.

·      Sudbury and Harrow Road Station is 0.3 miles away (6 minute walk) serving the Chiltern Line on the National Rail.

·      Wembley Central Station is 0.7 miles away (14 minute walk) serving the London Overground (Watford DC line), the Bakerloo line and the National Rail serving the London and North-Western Railway and Southern lines.

·      A bus stop serving the 18, 92, 182, 204 & H17 routes is 300ft north-west of the library entrance.

I would encourage visitors to make use of the readily available public transport, as well as walking and cycling, our published strategy seeks to reduce trips by cars throughout the Borough.

I understand that this may not have been the response you were expecting. However, we have a published strategy to seek to achieve a balance between the needs of residents to park, access to local employment and local retail and service providers in addition to the reduction of car trips. 

John Wild

Contract Operations Manager

Lorber challenged Wild in his response:

Dear Mr Wild

Thank you for your email.

Firstly I consider it inappropriate for anyone from Brent Council to recommend cycling to anyone until such time as the local roads are repaired. As things state many roads are in such a poor state of repair that they are death traps for cyclists.

Barham Community Library has now been open for almost 2 years and up to now all our requests for permits for events at our Library have been met irrespective of the out of touch policy/document you refer to.

What has suddenly changed?

I am concerned because our Library is attended by many older and disabled people who are often brought by others. Without receiving a lift from a relative or friend who then needs to park locally that person would not be able to come.

This policy is therefore depriving elderly and disabled people for accessing our Library on Event days and preventing us to organise events for our local community for many weekends during the year. How does this approach help to meet the other Council objective to tackle loneliness?

If the intention is for Brent Council and its officers to deprive community facilities the ability to function or for disabled or elderly people to be disadvantaged then I suggest that you clearly state this intent and publicise it - rather than simply hide behind a document which no one is aware of.

Whenever the issue of the Wembley Event Zone was discussed officers and leading councillors reassured residents and organisations that they could always apply for Event Day permits. I cannot recall anyone stating that they were restricted to funerals and weddings only and recall summer BBQs, birthday parties being mentioned too.

The fact that up to now our requests for permits were always granted proves that the above approach was followed up to now. Hence my question - what has changed and who issued instructions to change the approach.

I am copying these exchanges to the Chief Executive so that she can sort out this mess and stop local people and local organisations being disadvantaged in this appalling way just to accommodate Wembley Stadium and their growing number of events.

Regards

Paul Lorber

Lorber told Wembley Matters:

We have been asking for permits regularly and until recently received them for days when the Library was open, or for the Tamil School or even for lets to other groups or individuals for a social/party. One group who regularly uses us for small social gatherings are the  Caribbean Muslim Group made up mostly of older people. They usually finish around 10:30pm and feel safer to go by car with their family. Without the ability to park for their elders or disabled people they will simply give up.

A return bus ride costs £3 - and most people are unlikely to want to spend so much to simply come to a library.

We are not talking of a vast numbers of people and lack of parking spaces or congestion is not an issue for us as Barham Park is some way from the Stadium.

Tge trouble is that the rules are being imposed and enforced by people who do not live here and do not appreciate  the damage their draconian restrictions cause for local people and voluntary groups.

Surely it is wrong that the local council that is supposed to represent the interests of its residents has decided to restrict their lives on event days?

Help restore colourful Wembley High Road mural

Local campaigner Paul Lorber is urging local residents and business to chip in towards the £150 cost of repairing a vandalised mural in Wembley High Road.

The mural in Wembley was commissioned by Wembley Futures to improve the appearance of the High Road. The work was carried by Alessandra Grasso, an artist in residence with Friends of a Barham Library.

Unfortunately one section of one of the 5 murals has been vandalised for the second time and needs to be repaired. It would seem that someone has taken a dislike to one of the national flag.

Paul Lorber, Wembley Futures and Friends of Barham Library are keen to repair the mural and have started the £150 needed to carry out the repair.

Anyone willing to donate can send a cheque payable to Friends of Barham Library and send it to Paul Lorber c/o 17 Stapenhill Road Wembley HA0 3JF. Anyone interested in contributing can email Paul on barhamlibrary@hitmail.co.uk and he will send you a Gift Aid form and details of how to pay.

Paul said:

The Murals in Wembley High Road brightened up the local area and it would be good to get them back to their original perfect condition.

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Talk: Kingsbury's aircraft industry - Barham Community Library February 28th

Picnic in Barham Park on Sunday to celebrate the life of Titus Barham

From Friends of Barham Library

To celebrate the life of Titus Barham 80 years ago and his gift of his home & gardens (which formed Barham Park) for "the enjoyment of local people" in Wembley, Friends of Barham Library are encouraging local people to come and have a picnic in Barham Park on Sunday July 9th in the company of their friends and neighbours. Just bring your friends and some food and enjoy our beautiful park.

We are recommending the use of the areas near the play area and the outdoor gym for the picnic (behind the building housing Barham Community Library) as another event is taking place in the main part of the Park.

We will open the Library from around 12 midday to show people around. We will also display recently painted art from the Art Group who used our Library for art classes recently. From around 1:30pm we hope to have a 'Kino Van' on site showing short films from the 1930s of local and other history.

AND from round 2:30 p.m. we will be serving afternoon tea in our Library on a 1st come 1st served basis - free of charge.

In between all of this we hope also to give short talks on the history of the Barhams and the local area.

Please come along for a bit of relaxation in Barham Park, see our Community Library (if you have not done so yet) and join us for some afternoon tea.

Latest news from Friends of Barham Library

From Friends of Barham Library

LATEST NEWS ON OUR BUILDING

By now we have hoped to have had our lease for the building in Barham Park (Unit 4, 660 Harrow Road Wembley HA0 2H). Unfortunately at the last minute an issue arose with Brent Council which we hope will be resolved at a meeting of the Barham Park Charity Trust on Wednesday 7 September.

In the meantime we have been putting up shelves in our new Library space and filling them up. We are ready and hope to open as soon as the Lease has been signed.

In the meantime we are planning our activities including more Theatre productions, history talks etc

Brent Council has now decided to also Lease the wooden building at the back and we are considering whether to bid. The building is in a poor condition. There is no kitchen facility, the toilets are in a mess and the wiring, ceilings and floor covering needs replacing. The roof and wooden cladding also needs repairing. We estimate that the building may need between £50,000 to £100,000 spending on it and we are exploring sources for possible Capital Grants.

Our priority continues to open our Library and this will happen irrespective of whether we make a bid for the other building.

WHAT IS GOING ON

Afternoon English Conversation classes continue at Sudbury Town Underground Station on Tuesdays between 2 and 4. We are also holding evening classes on Tuesdays from 6:45 p.m. until 27 September 2016 and depending on demand and available tutors these may be expanded.

Frank who used to open up Sudbury Town on a regular basis broke his ankle two weeks ago and has his leg in plaster. Sudbury Town is therefore only open very irregularly until we find other volunteers who can help.

In Barham Park we are opening the building to the Barham Walkers to access the toilets and for  teas & coffee on Tuesday morning from around 10:45.

On Wednesday's Eva is running a 'Sewcial' - 2 hour session between 10:30 to 12:30 of sawing and chat activities. Just pop in if you are interested.

5th ANNIVERSARY OF CLOSURE OF 6 LIBRARIES IN BRENT

We will celebrate the Community Library movement in Brent by our annual Torch Relay between the Libraries. As it is the 5th Anniversary I plan to do another sponsored run to raise funds for the Barham Community Library. Besides a run there may be an opportunity to join in with a sponsored walk in Barham Park. Let me know if you want to join me or sponsor me.

7 SEPTEMBER 2016

As mentioned above there will be an important meeting of the Barham Park Charity Trust (managed by Brent Council) starting at 6p.m. at the Civic Centre in Wembley LINK. Issues relating to our Lease will be discussed and hopefully decided. The meeting is open to the public so please feel free to join us.

I hope to provide an update after the meeting.

All the best

Paul Lorber
for Friends of Barham Library

End this wretched sniping at Barham Library volunteers

This comment by Gaynor Lloyd was submitted in response to the comments on Wembley Matters' story on the decision abut to be made by Trustees on the organisation to be granted the lease on the Barham Park Lounge.  

Having been a very early member of the Barham Library campaign and, over the last four years a long standing volunteer at the Volunteer Library currently (and for three  years) running at 428 Wembley High Road, can I just for the zillionth time clarify that Friends of Barham Library is not a covert front for the Lib Dems in Brent? I am sick, sick, sick of this wretched sniping- and mildly resentful of  the implication for all those of us who work for the Barham volunteer community library at this end of the Borough.

Can whoever is left annoyed by  us library campaigners please get over it? I would much prefer a library service delivered  throughout Brent -  as it should be -  by a properly funded Council - but that isn't where we are. Let us add to the service - please don't be mean about us. Perhaps even join us.

Start by coming to see us in  the Library premises in Wembley or Sudbury Town Station.  We have an amazing selection of books...but there is a lot more to us! For example, go and see the children's arts and crafts workshop in Sudbury Town every Saturday - full to bursting in the limited space. As to Wembley, two days this week have provided perfect examples of what happens in premises pathetically inadequate to offer true library services. I spend a lot of my time crashing about outside 428 Wembley High Road shaking a green  bucket to raise less than the Minimum wage, never mind the London Living Wage, per hour - but, in so doing, talking to many of the people who pass by on their daily round who stop to put a bit of money in  and talk about books, services , children and their lives. It's brilliant. I may get called in to the shop  to give what expertise I have on English literature, to chat or to offer my opinion on children's books.

Yesterday a family with 5 children came in looking for English dictionaries suitable for four of the children. We were able to offer 5 varying levels of dictionary and spelling primers. While there and all chatting, the children looked for fiction. Mum was clearly a bit concerned at the amount of space they have at home for the acquisition of the collection the children  amassed. We were able to say "Well just read them and bring them back".

Then there was the lad who came in with his Mum looking for project materials on Europe, who left with books on countries and a child's French dictionary; they left really chuffed promising to bring the project in when they could. Then there was the group of lads - aged around 10 or so - who passed me three times on bucket duty and finally stopped on round 4. "Is this for the library?" one asked. "Yes" I said. "I've only got 60p. Is that OK?" And in went the 60p. Many of my donors are young people. Often parents will come in and we give them a sampler book for their babies; never too young to start with books still seems to be a message that resonates. Then there are the adults seeking to improve their English, who need study books - or just come in and talk  on topics various, including literature.

It am proud to work with Paul, Francis, Judy, Alex, Frank, Peggy, Vi and the other volunteers in the heart of the community (sorry to those ranked as others). Anyone who doubts what we are there for - please call in.

I grew up with a library -what's wrong with wanting all that a modern community library can offer for our bit of the Borough?.

Then we can extend even further the range of people  who will find in a library what I did  and still do- much better put by Bernard Kops  in his poem Whitechapel Library, Aldgate East "That door of the library was the door into me"

Barham Library Campaign calls for support on planning appeal

Paul Lorber, leader of Brent Liberal Democrats has written to local library campaigners on behalf of the Barham Library Campaign about the former Barham Library. He tells them that  despite all the opposition from local people...

Labour Councillors have decided to spend £10,000 of Brent taxpayers money to Appeal a decision made by Brent's Planning Committee to REFUSE the Planning application to change of use of the Barham Park Buildings (including the library space) from D1 community uses.

A Planning Inspector has been appointed to deal with the Apeal and we now need YOUR help again. We need as many local people as posible to send objections to the Inspector as possible.

We will help draft objections and will meet from 7p.m. on Wednesday 16 April at the Barham Lounge 660 Harrow Road Wembley (this is the building at the front and on the left of the Barham Buildings on the edge of Harrow Road as you face it - opposite Chaplin Road) Buses 18, 92, 182 stop nearby.

If you cannot come you can also send your appeal by email to teamp13@pins.gsi.gov.uk
 or in writing to:

Planning Inspectorate Temple Quay House 2 The Square Bristol BS1 6PN

In both cases you must quote reference: APP/T5150/A/14/2216244

A simple objection could be as follows (although please use your own words):

 Dear Inspector

Barham Buildings - APP/T5150/A/14/2216244

I object and oppose the Appeal against the decision to REFUSE the planning application for the Barham Park buildings in London Borough of Brent on the grounds of material loss of access to the buldings by the local community.

The buildings and the park were a gift to local people for their enjoyment. Local people have had access since 1937 and for most of the time (almost 60 years) there was a public library which received around 60,000 visist from local people each year.

The change of use from D1 to B1 to allow a takeover of large parts of the building by one organisation will deprive the local community of much needed general access. The suggestion that 2 open days a year compensates for the loss of the general access is laughable.

(IF YOU HAVE A PERSONAL and SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE OF USING THE BUILDINGS - BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY USED TO VISIT PLEASE ADD IT HERE).

The local library provided a much needed community space for the local diverse community. It was used by people of all ages. Young people especially lost because their libray closed as they were deprived of study space and in case of younger children access to books. Older people lost a safe meeting place.

I support the campaign by Friends of Barham Library to reopen the Library for the benefit of local people. Friends of barham Library already operate volunteer libraries in temporary (and far too small) premises in Sudbury and Wembley proving the need for such a facility.

The Planning Committee received representations from local people who argued strongly for the protection of the Barham Buildings for general community use. By a large majority the Brent Planning Committee supported that call and REFUSED the application.

By pursuing the appeal Brent Council is going against the wishes of local people and I urge you to REJECT the Appeal.

Yours faithfully

 Your signature"
 
 If you cannot come on the 16th please come to either our Sudbury Town Underground Station or 428 Wembley High Road volunteer libraries where we can help you with a letter or email.

The site had been suggested for a secondary special school by a charity set up by Brent parents LINK

Answers needed urgently on Kensal Rise fake emails

Guest post by Meg Howarth

Muhammed Butt's late-night sneering tweet to Michael Calderbank claiming that Brent Council had 'provided all the evidence and police not pursuing' the fake email business fails to inspire confidence in the council's, let alone the NFIB's, handling of this grubby affair.

An official statement from the council on the matter is needed urgently. Brent was contacted by the police on 21 January. Does it take 10 days - and the shameless destruction of the pop-up at the Kensal Rise Library site - before the release even of this snippet of information - and, then, in this personally antagonistic and entirely unsuitable fashion? Bad news burying even worse news? Michael Calderbank was simply asking about progress of the email investigation. 

Some immediate questions that demand public answers are:

- Why have the police decided not to pursue the matter?

- Has the council probed this decision? If not, why not?

- Was Andrew Gillick interviewed by the NFIB (National Fraud and Investigation Bureau)? If not, why not? 

- Was the NFIB told of the apparent sub-letting of Mr Gillick's St Mary Mansions Paddington flat at the time a comment using that address was posted on the Barham Library planning application site? Two comments using that address appeared a couple of months earlier on the Kensal Library planning site.

- Was any attempt made to try and trace the fake emails, as Margaret Smith asks above? If not, why not? As a computer expert confirms: 'it could be very easy if...no precautions [were taken], and difficult or impossible in other circumstances'. This is surely where the occupancy of Mr Gillick's Mary Mansions flat at the time of the three planning comments could help resolve matters?

The computer expert went on to say: 'It's not very clever of Brent to collect comments via a system that is this easy to spoof. They could easily take a few precautions, [otherwise] this kind of thing will only become more frequent'. Fortunately, it seems that the council has now beefed up its system of online comment in the wake of this nasty affair. But

the the police decision not to pursue the matter hardly clears it up and any new [planning] application will be heard in an atmosphere of suspicion' (Martin Francis). Precisely. 

It seems that a further planning application from Andrew Gillick is expected to be lodged shortly.

The council's lax system enabled the email scam. The very least it must now do is publicise the reasons for the police's decision not to proceed and prosecute. Planning matters around the Kensal Rise Library building can only become even messier without the utmost transparency by the council.

Footnote: 'hippy' references, as posted in comments on this blog. also featured in the online planning comments supporting Mr Gillick's application. It's unclear whether they were found by the council to be amongst the fake emails passed to the police.

Paul Lorber cleared of Code breach over Barham Library by Independent Investigator

Paul Lorber, right kneeling, outside the Barham Library building

Following a complaint by Cllr Powney that Cllr Paul Lorber (Liberal Democrat leader) breached the Council's Code of Conduct for Members an Independent Investigator has made the recommended  finding that he did not breach the Code.

Cllr Powney was the architect of the Library Transformation Project that closed six of Brent's 12 libraries, including Barham Library.

Councillor Powney alleged that during an email exchange with Mr Duncan Smith, Artistic Director of the Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Arts ACAVA), in September 2013, about the organisation's proposed tenure of the library building, Councillor Lorber:

• adopted a tone that was both offensive and intimidating
• disclosed confidential information in relation to ACAVA's proposed tenancy
•  improperly used his position as a councillor to confer or attempt to confer an advantage to the Friends of Barham Library, a charity on whih Cllr Lorber acted as trustee.

The full report by Alex Oran, Independent Investigator, will be considered by the Committee on Thursday January 9th and can reject the recommendation although Fiona Ledden recommends that the Committee accepts it. The full report is HERE

Although the discussion could turn into a political Punch and Judy Show this thoughtful report merits a calm discussion on the role of councillors, their community involvements and what constitutes 'robust' communication.

This was recognised by the Independent Person, Sola Afuape who accepted the recommendation but according to Fiona Ledden:

...did however consider that there are a number of issues that give rise to questions and concerns coming out of the report, which she considered would be helpful to explore in discussions at the Standards Committee. The issue around conflict of interests, given the different roles a councillor may have in the community, should be considered. It may be helpful for clear written advice to assist members and enable the committee to promote integrity and probity as well as transparency. Brent has a very diverse community which could lead to councillors being in positions where conflicts arise, from competing community groups, hence clear published guidance would assist members in making sure proper declarations are made.

I have extracted the following from the report to give a flavour of the issues considered by Alex Oram:

In considering whether this amounts to a breach of the Code I consider it important that members should be able to express themselves in a robust manner that allows them to be passionate. While Councillor Lorber’s comments and questions were direct and forceful, none were in my view offensive or demeaning.

In my experience organisations whose work involves either the receipt of public money or their entering into contracts with a local authority should be prepared for tough questioning. Mr Smith was clearly not used to being challenged in the way that he was in this instance. While I acknowledge Mr Smith’s right to respond in the manner that he did, at no stage in the correspondence did Councillor Lorber cross the line from robust questioning into personal abuse or anything resembling the defamation he was accused of. Nor did the overall context of the exchange – email communications between Councillor Lorber, Mr Duncan, the ACAVA trustees and then the entire Council - render Mr Duncan at a disadvantage in any way as would be the case had Councillor Lorber attacked him or his charity in the Council chamber.

I consider that Councillor Lorber’s comments were political or quasi-political in nature and benefit from a high level of protection under the Human Rights legislation. With this in mind my view is that the bar Councillor Lorber would have to cross, in terms of disrespectful behaviour, to breach the code is set high. While I am of the view that some of Councillor Lorber’s comments were ill judged and unwise, it is my view that Councillor Lorber’s comments were not so serious as to amount to a failure to comply with paragraph 3(1) of the Code and that any such finding would be a disproportionate restriction on Councillor Lorber’s right to freedom of expression

The Localism Act makes it clear that it is proper for councillors to play an active part in local discussions and that people can elect their councillor confident in the knowledge that they will be able to act on the issues they care about and have campaigned on. In many cases councillors themselves will have a long track record of community activism before they were elected – their inspiration to serve their local communities will often have its roots in community work. The Act encourages councillors to reshape their role away from bureaucratically-driven, paper-heavy  meetings and processes, to much more creative roles leading and energising their local communities and encouraging self-organised  groups to be ambitious.

In trying to advantage the Friends of Barham Library Councillor Lorber was attempting to further a goal which he believed would bring a clear benefit to the community he represents. Councillor Lorber has maybe taken a more proactive role than many councillors might have under similar circumstances. However I have found no evidence that Councillor Lorber’s financial interests or those of his family or associates would be affected in any way by the outcome of any part of his correspondence with Mr Smith. In this regard I note that the Friends of Barham Library is answerable to the Charity Commission for its activities as a registered charity and that it is a Company guaranteed without share.

In my view, the threshold for a failure to comply with paragraph 5 of the Code in the case of expressions of view has to be set at a level that allows for the passion and fervour that often accompanies political debate or exchanges relating to decisions made by the Council. This is entirely consistent with the objective of maintaining proper standards in public life. In my view at no time did Councillor Lorber conduct himself in a manner that one might view as reducing the public’s confidence in him to able to fulfil his role; or adversely affecting the reputation of members generally.

Visit new Barham pop up library today and donate books etc

A message from Friends of Barham Library

After another busy week of repairs and decorating we are slowly getting our new premises at 428 High Road Wembley (near Argos) ready.

We opened last Saturday and were please to see many of our regulars and some new faces. Without realising it we kept going until almost 6pm..

We have decided to extend our opening hours on Saturdays to between 11am. to 4pm. and see how we get on. We are also planning extra openings during the week and preparing a Volunteer Rota. If you are willing to help by spending a few hours as a Volunteer please reply to this email stating the days of week and times that can help on a regular basis.

If you have not yet been please come an visit us this coming Saturday. Our Volunteer Library is a few doors down from Argos and plenty of buses stop outside. Parking is very limited as it is all allocated to the shops and flats above.

Now that the inside of the Library is being organised we are once again able to accept donations of books, CDs, DVDs, Computer Games in reasonable condition. Either bring them along or email us to arrange a collection. Just give us your name, address, phone number and best time for a pick up.

As always please pass the word and encourage others to visit and join us.

More primary schools to get bigger

The Brent Executive is will approve the expansion of three Brent Primary schools on Monday.

Barham Primary in Wembley will expand one form of entry, moving from a total of 630 pupils Reception to Year 6 to 840 at a cost of £4.8m.

Fryent Primary in Kingsbury  will double in size from 420 to 840 pupils at a cost of £8.3m

Michell Brook Primary in Neasden will expand from 420 places to 630 at a cost of £3.8m

Brent Council says all three are 'popular and high performing schools'.

A decision on the expansion of Furness in Harlesden has been postponed until a new headteacher has been appointed.

It is not clear from the documentation whether the amount of outdoor play space has been reduced as a result, noting only that it has been 'reconfigured'.

Users Speak Out For Six Threatened Libraries

From Your News UKTV FACEBOOK

One of the arguments used by campaigners at the High Court was that the Needs Assessment and the Equalities Assessment carried out by Brent Council were inadequate. In just a few minutes this video shows how the closures will impact on the community.

The result of the High Court action is expected to be announced this month and there is a possibility that we will hear next week.

Watch this space.

Brent to decide on library disposal strategy before Judicial Review application heard

Brent Executive has been asked to decide on a strategy for disposal of the six libraries ear-marked for closure at their meeting on Monday, just one day before the Judicial review case is heard at the Royal Courts of Justice. The Council claims that this is justified by the need to avoid delays and maximise savings as long as the decisions are not irrevocable. However, they advise councillors to merely note the Save Preston Library campaigner's petition against any sale or disposal of that library 'that does not include a public library for the use of local citizens' because 'there are no current proposals put forward for the use of the Preston Road site upon sale or disposal'.

The report says the Council's initial approach will be to see if there is any alternative Council use for the buildings but states that to date the only alternative considered is use to satisfy the surplus demand for school places.


The Proposals
Kensal Rise and Cricklewood affected by Covenant in favour of All Souls College. The Council has asked the College to consider use by community groups. They have responded by saying that they wish to await the outcome of the Judicial Review and are not likely to want to deal directly with a community group, but might consider allowing occupation via the Council. The Council state that this would be dependent on All Souls agreement, variation of the covenant and a community group proposal of such economic, social or environmental benefit to the Council's are that it would out-weigh a decision to revert.

Neasden Library - leasehold (lease expires in September 2027, rent £55,000 per annum plus utilities and rates). The landlord was not interested in surrender of the lease in current conditions but agreed sub-letting to a third party. As there was 'no community interest' expressed during the consultation period and it doesn't appear suitable for school use it has been placed with local agents.

Preston Library freehold, the report says that it that the site appears suitable for a variety of uses ranging from educational use such as a private nursery to residential use. Note there is no mention of use for surplus school places as above. The Council propose to discuss suitable uses with the planning department and then instruct consultants to prepare a marketing brief for this site and Tokyngton Library which they think is suitable for an in-fill development of 2-4 houses.

Barham Library held in Trust by the Council along with other Barham Park buildings. The short-term proposal is for use by the adjacent children;'s centre on a care-taking basis and to undertake a feasibility study for the complex of buildings in the longer term.

Despite massive opposition Brent library closures recommended to Executive

The report on the Libraries Strategy which will go to the Executive on April 11th has now been published LINK to Report and Appendices.  It recommends the closure of six libraries despite massive opposition and rejects all the alternative proposals that have been put forward.

82% of respondents said that the rationalisation proposals which include the closures was unreasonable against 11% who thought it was reasonable. 24% of respondents agreed and 61% of respondents disagreed with the broad proposal that Brent Libraries will become community hubs with revised service delivery and funding principles.

The report attempts to undermine these figures by suggesting that respondents are unrepresentative:

8.5 It is therefore all the more important to recall that consultation does not constitute a referendum. There are serious challenges within the consultation feedback as to how representative it is of library users, of non-users, or the borough’s population as a whole. Members should be aware of these shortcomings as they consider the weight they give to the outcomes of the three-month consultation alongside the other drivers for change, including the needs assessment, the available resources and the equalities impact assessment.
8.6 In particular:
• Only 23% of the Borough’s population used a Brent library in the last year (borrowed at least one item during the year and/or accessed ICT services) which is in itself an important challenge for the new library offer. By contrast 87% of respondents to the questionnaire use a library regularly (at least once a month). It proved extremely difficult to engage with non-users and analyse their reasons for not using the libraries, which highlighted the importance of improved marketing of the services available
• respondents focused almost exclusively on the proposals to close six libraries.
Thus Kensal Rise (34%) and Preston (24%) users account for 58% of all questionnaire responses, and 83% of all responses named one of the six. However, all six libraries taken together represent less than 25% of total library visits in 2009/10 (without adjusting usage to account for the temporary closure of Harlesden library)
• some elements of the questionnaire responses are contradictory. For instance, 61% of respondents disagreed with the broad proposal that libraries become community hubs with revised service delivery and funding principles, but 79% of respondents suggest that libraries could also be used as community meeting places and 44% that other public services could share library buildings.
• The population of respondents is significantly different from that of the population of active borrowers, and from that of the Borough as a whole, particularly in relation to ethnicity. 60% of respondents identified as white (45% white British), compared to 32% of active borrowers.
• where it was possible to have a more detailed conversation, for example at the Open Day, or analysing the Red Quadrant research undertaken in October 2010, there are differing opinions about the ambitions for the service, for example concerning the balance between PC availability, quiet space, stock and children’s services.

My claim that young people will be disproportionately  hit by the closures is supported by the Report's figures on young borrowers:

Library Total number of Active Borrowers Number under 19’s %
Barham Park 1800 912 – 51%
Cricklewood 1341 698 – 42%
Kensal Rise 1707 714- 54%
Neasden 2336 1294 – 54%
Preston 3194 1494- 45%
Tokyngton 1496 877- 58%
Total 11874 5989

 The Report considers in detail (Appendix 6) alternative proposal.s It rejects outright proposals to reduce opening hours of all libraries to keep all 12 open, cutting of 'support' costs by 90% and making savings elsewhere.

Specific proposals are given a rating of 1 - 4 as follows: (Click to enlarge)

The report does not recommend consideration of any of these proposals and goes on to reject specific schemes that have been put forward: (Click image to enlarge)

A number of Petitions will be presented to the Executive at their meeting on April 11th which together contain approximately 9,600 signatures although there is likely to be some duplication. Numbers are as follows:

Petition, Lead Petitioner, Approx number of Signatures

Cancel Plans to Close 6 Libraries, Wembley Observer, 124

Keep Cricklewood Library Open, Friends of Cricklewood Library, 1317

Against Closure of Neasden Library, Local Residents, 800

Save Preston Library, Conservative Councillors Colwill and HB Patel, 819

Save Preston Library Campaign, Samatha Warrington, 5897

Stop Labour's Library Closures, LIB Dem Councillor Lorber, 672

These documents are very long and  this is only a quick summary. I would welcome comments about other aspects of the reports from readers and campaigners.