There were crowds outside Preston Community Library this morning as the community came out in droves to welcome the official opening of the library that they campaigned for, helped fund and staffed with volunteers.
Barry Gardiner MP was there, and ward councillors were present but it was the people who were there for what Philip Bromberg, described as a 'a proud and extraordinary achievement that took pride of place.
Reflecting early debates over strategy on library closure, Philip said, 'Everyone here at Preston Community Library still believe that all public libraries should be properly funded with paid and trained staff.'
INSIDE THE LIBRARY
Join, borrow, return and renew at the front desk
Computers are provided
The Library Kitchen
There is also a large community room that can be used for meetings, classes (Yoga anyone?) and regular cinema film shows.
The latest election leaflet from Labour councillors in Preston ward (extracts above) would almost make you think that the Brent Community Library is a Brent Council library and a Brent Labour project.
It is a little more complicated than that.
The new Preston Community Library has its official opening tomorrow by the Deputy Mayor of Brent. For the context of how we got to this point we have to go back nearly 15 years to the SOS Brent Libraries Campaign when campaigners against the then Labour adminstration's closure of 6 Brent Libraries (half the total number of libraries in the borough) - Preston, Tokyngton, Barham, Neasden, Kensal Rise and Cricklewood- organised in the community.
It is their grit, determination and sheer hard work that has kept 4 of those libraries open. A campaign for the Neasden Library never really got off the ground in a working class area of time poor people, and Tokyngton Library was sold to a Mosque for use as a community centre. Muhammed Butt was a member of the Mosque Committee.
Some of the background:
February 2011 Petition
Keep Preston Library Open We the
undersigned petition the council to keep Preston Library open and give full
consideration to alternatives to the removal of essential local library
services to the Preston ward under the Brent "Library Transformation
Project". We oppose the sale or redevelopment of the site that does not
include a Brent public library. : We oppose the closure of Preston Library, a
cost-efficient local service that is well used by all the local community.
It provides essential facilities for some of our community, particularly senior
citizens and those with limited mobility, schoolchildren, and the unemployed
and others who may not have access to a computer.
Preston Library service is more accessible and meets the needs of a greater
number of local people than would a multimillion-pound mega-library at Wembley
Stadium, to which many users would find it difficult to travel.
We demand that Brent Council give adequate time and due consideration to
alternatives plans to the closure of Preston Library, including the revision of
proposals for the library at the Civic Centre.
We also oppose the sale or disposal of the Preston Library site for any
redevelopment that does not include a public library for the use of local
citizens.
Because this blog post marks its official opening I will concentrate on the Preston Library but is it important to note the concerted effort made by all in the SOS Libraries in the legal challenge that went all the way to the High Court but finally failed despite making national headlines.
Brent Council has
now been sent the Letter Before Action from Bindmans that begins the
legal process for a judicial review. The action is backed by S.O.S.
Brent Libraries which brings together the campaigns against the closures
of six Brent libraries.
The Letter Before Action in summary claims:
1. a fair-minded and informed observer, having full regard to the
facts, would conclude that there was a real possibility of
predetermination by the decision-makers that these closure proposals
should go ahead (indeed that there was no alternative) which, in turn,
meant the results of the consultation exercise were not taken into
account conscientiously and with open minds on 11 April 2011; 2.
insufficient information was gathered to enable the decision- makers to
take into account mandatory relevant considerations at the appropriate
time, particularly in relation to questions of need for library services
and equality; 3.
some consultation responses were not made known to members, significant
errors of fact were made in the consultation document and officers’
reports and irrational conclusions drawn; 4. the Council misdirected itself on the means by which its duty to provide a library service could be discharged; and 5. those who had made alternative proposals were not dealt with fairly.
Unless Brent Council backs down the legal process is expected to proceed by way of a judicial review of the council's decision.
David Butcher from Kensal Rise speaking on behalf of the Brent SOS Library Campaign said,
Thousands
of people across the whole of Brent are supporting the campaign to save
the local community libraries of Barham, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise,
Neasden, Preston and Tokyngton.
While
Councillors Ann John and Powney are using the resources of Brent
Council to force through the closures local people are determined to
fight their closure plans all the way.
Brent SOS Libraries; Save Our
Six Librarie have agreed to raise funds for the judicial review of the
council’s decision. The Legal Services Commission requires a ‘community
contribution’ of £30,000 towards the costs. Each of the library groups
has pledged to raise a contribution.
Brent Council erected hoardings around Preston Library to thwart any attempts at occupation. The hoarding soon became what some called a 'Democracy Wall' or 'Wall of Shame' like those in China used to criticise the Chinese authorities. There was a lot of anger and the comments were not always polite. Council officers 'raided' Kensal Rise Library and removed the books to the horror of campaigners who had mounted a regular picket outside.
The unpopularity of the library closures were evident and Muhammed Butt then deputy leader, made a bid for the Brent Labout leadership at the 2012 Labour AGM.
The the Labour Party member and former councillor Graham Durham (now Your Party) wrote to Cllr Butt.
Dear Mo,
Thank you for your telephone call
of 9 May 2012 in which you invited me to vote for you as Leader of the Council
at the Brent Labour Party hustings on 10 May.
As you know I am opposed to the
Brent Labour Group record over the last two years of implementing the
Tory /Lib Dem government cuts and thus severely damaging the life prospects of
many of the most vulnerable people in Brent. Naturally I was anxious to know
how you would change matters and specifically how you would propose to make the
Tory/Lib Dem cuts you made clear you are committed to over the next two
years
I was pleased to hear your
response on the question of libraries which I recorded.You said
'I feel
we handled libraries very badly.I always wanted to consider partnership with
community groups as Camden Council has done and was blocked by Ann John
who insisted we had to be seen to be backing officers and closing the six
libraries.This will change if I am Leader.'
On future budget cuts you said
'We have
far too many senior officers in Brent ,a record number of Directors on very
high pay and they all build empires of Assistant Directors.I think we could
save £3 million a year on these costs by 2015 '
Whilst I do not wholly agree with
these two proposals I did concede that they represented progress from the
intransigence and hostility to community groups displayed by Ann John and
senior officers over the last two years .As promised I advised Labour
Party members I know of your views and asked them to consider if the changes
you promised were sufficient to enable them to vote for you as Leader.
You have become Leader of Brent
Council at a time when working people across Europe are
realising that the disastrous policy of austerity is leading to impoverishment
and misery everywhere.Voters in France and Greece have realised that the
solutions of cuts in services and basic benefits and pensions are
incapable of creating jobs and protecting a reasonable standard of living for
working people.
In Brent we have seen the
extraordinary GLA vote in which Labour heavily defeated the Lib Dems in
every single ward of Brent Central - a great opportunity exists for us to
remove Sarah Teather and cuts agenda at the next General Election.
You will need to be resolute in
challenging Brent Council officers on every aspect of their work.In particular
Gareth Daniel,Chief Executive, must be reigned in and told to stop spreading
government cuts propaganda to Brent Council staff.
I am sure that the local newspaper,
the Brent and Kilburn Times, has misquoted you in stating that you now support
library closures and the matter is closed. I do not believe that you would have
completely reversed the promises you made to Party members during your
leadership campaign nine days ago.
I know that Brent SOS Libraries
Campaign have written to you asking for an urgent meeting and I look
forward to discussing this issue with you then.Labour should be embracing local
campaigners not treating them with disdain.
On a wider programme Brent
Fightback want to work with Brent Labour Council in opposing Tory/Lib Dem
cuts.We have also requested a meeting to discuss how to work together to resist
NHS Cuts such as the closure of Central Middlesex hospital as well
as local government cuts.
I look forward to meeting you to
discuss further co-operation
A notable aspect of the campaign was the support of children from a nearby secondary and prinary school who were users of the library for homework and as a safe place.
8th May 2014 (Before the local election) A crowded public
meeting of the Preston Library Campaign heard speakers from Brent Labour,
Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Greens and TUSC on the future of the closed
Brent libraries. This is my speech:
I am speaking primarily as the
Green Party spokesperson for children and families, because I am particularly
concerned about the impact of the closures on young children. I did childcare
for a pupil of Preston Park Primary who used the library regularly, did her
homework there and always felt secure with helpful staff available. But of
course it is not just Preston Library but five others that have been closed.
I have seen eager children arrive at Neasden Library, only to turn home
crestfallen when they realised it was closed for good. Without internet access
at home they were dependent on that library to use a computer for their
homework.
Libraries are important for book borrowing, homework and a social space
but most importantly are 'local' - where older children can visit
independently, families drop in and elderly people access with ease.
Labour realised belatedly thatthe
closures were a mistake and this led to a change of leadership and recent
attempts to recover lost ground. However, the damage has been done and a 'fresh
start' cannot make up for that. We believe in publicly funded, properly
staffed, local libraries and will fight for the restoration of local library
provision.
Greens care about the quality of life and not just the quantity of goods. This
is important not just in terms of libraries but in educational provision
public spaces and housing where we intend to enhance everyone's quality of life
rather than focus on acquisition of goods.
At the end of the meeting a show of hands clearly demonstrated support for a
professionally staffed and publicly funded library with a slightly lower number
in favour of a volunteer run library. However, afterwards some indicated if a
voluntary run library was the only solution they would reluctantly support
that.
So a volunteer library it was.
The Preston Library site re-opened as an additional class for Preston Park Primary School and the Preston Library Campaign were granted a licence to use when it was not in use by the school:
January 2014 Philip Bromberg of the Preston Library Campaign wrote ahead of the local council election on May 22nd:
First of all, can I wish you a very, very happy new year, and thank you
for your continuing support. This week sees the third anniversary of the
campaign to save Preston Library. The fact that the campaign - here, and in
Barham Park, Cricklewood and Kensal Rise - is moving into its fourth year is a
testament both to the vital importance of local public libraries and to the
hard work of a very remarkable group of people. Please continue to do whatever
you can to support the campaign in 2014.
We are fortunate in one respect - the Preston Library building is still
in public hands, and is likely to be vacated by Preston Park School at some
time in the next eighteen months. As most of you will know, there will be local
elections in all London boroughs on May 22, and candidates will be seeking your
votes. Please continue to tell candidates and councillors what the loss of the
libraries has meant to our communities, and ask them to work with us to restore
our public library in Carlton Avenue East.
15th Feb 2015Barry Gardiner – evidence to the The Culture Media and Sport Select
Committee Inquiry into library closures.
In Brent the Council has set out
its intention to improve the service that is offered at the six remaining
libraries. Their hope is that by improving the service in a reduced number of
outlets, more people will be encouraged to use the service overall. In this
regard I think Brent is an interesting case study in the review of what should
be considered comprehensive and efficient. In particular does the service in
the remaining six have to be improved before the other six cease
operating?
What has been overwhelming in my
constituents’ response is the value they put on the locality of library
provision and how if you remove the local element this disadvantages certain
communities, irrelevant of whether the service at a library located further away
is being improved. I would argue that this should be a central component of
what constitutes a comprehensive and efficient library service. In rural
communities this may be replicated by regular visits of mobile libraries to
small local communities.
The libraries closing in Brent
serve a highly dense and often multiply disadvantaged population for whom ease
of walking access is economically vital. This factor is particularly poignant
for the most vulnerable library user groups such as the children and the
elderly. It is these groups that are unable to make the journey to a library
that is further away either as a result of the added costs or because they are
physically unable to make such a journey. By removing local libraries there is
an unfair impact on these vulnerable users. As such it is important that when
redefining a comprehensive and efficient library provision that the ease of
access for vulnerable communities should be a key criterion.
There is a sad trend in councils
up and down the country to run down service provision in what are seen as
non-revenue raising areas such as libraries and allotment gardens. The argument
is then adduced that the service is under-used or costs too much per capita and
the case is made by Council officials to sell off the buildings or the land.
This is what appears to have happened in Brent.
The six libraries put forward for
closure are said to be "poorly located and have low usage". It is
clear to me that people living in Preston, Sudbury, Northwick Park and Kenton
do not regard Preston or Barham Park Library to be nearly as poorly located for
them as the closest alternative. Where there really is under-usage the solution
should be to invest in improving the service on offer so that the locality
aspect is maintained as much as possible.
A comprehensive library service
must also reflect the needs of modern communications with a minimum number of
computer terminals with full fast internet access where students of all ages
can conduct research. The number of terminals should reflect demographic
factors that will influence community demand such as age profile and household
wealth.
Poorer areas with a high school
age population should be required to have a far greater number of terminals
than wealthier areas with a low number of school children.
Areas of high immigration should
reflect the indigenous languages of significant local communities in their
stock of books.
In 2016 Cllr Michael Pavey, Lead Member for Stronger Communities announced plans for the library site:
Preston Community Library have done an absolutely superb job in keeping
a library running in extremely difficult circumstances. They have delivered a
truly inclusive range of exceptional activities and have brought the whole
community together.
I would make the small point that although many of the Library
volunteers are indeed Preston residents, many others live in Barnhill and
surrounding wards - they all deserve immense credit.
We plan to redevelop the Preston Library building to provide new
housing, however these plans will also incorporate high quality new community
space. Cabinet felt that the published report paving the way for this
redevelopment did not sufficiently recognise the excellent work of the Preston
Community Library, nor did it do enough to pledge ongoing support for that
library.
Consequently Cabinet committed to take three months to work with Preston
Community Library, as well as the community libraries in Cricklewood, Kensal
Rise and Barham Park, to develop a new Community Library Strategy over and
above which the Council has a duty to provide. In addition to broader issues,
this strategy will directly address access to the new Preston Library building.
Cabinet has also stated a very clear preference that both the tender
process and the rental level for the new community space at the redeveloped
building should be clearly weighted towards social value, rather than financial
value.
All four Brent community libraries are extremely important partners of
the Brent Library Service. We are grateful for their excellent work and look forward
to working with them to develop an exciting new strategy to assist in securing
the long term future of each library.
Cllr Pavey, rejected the Cabinet report's terminology of a 'pop up library' to
describe Preston Community Hub. The bookcase at Willesden Green station
was a 'pop up' - Preston with its shelves of books, classes and cinema was much
more than that. He argued for the primacy of social value in any procurement
process rather than financial value. The financial equivalent of the
volunteers' efforts should be included in a calculation of social value. Pavey
suggested that in any design for the new building the library space should come
first and the flats second
A majority of the Preston Library Campaign, some relectantly, accepted the proposal and the library moved to temporary premises while the building works took place. SKPPRA (South Kenton Preston Park Residents Association) took the initial planning committee decision to Judicial Review and it was found unlawful, but then approved in the second submission.
There were concerns about over-development of the site and some opposition to social housing.
In 2017 Brent Council advertised for a temporary librarian to support the community libraries:
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.
The Preston Library temporary site was not as accessible as the former library but the campaigners managed to keep it going. An application was granted for Neighbourhood CIL monies to fit out the new premises.
The library pays a peppercorn rent but all running costs are paid for my fund raising including the monthly quizzes at the Preston Pub, room hire etc and volunteer labour is of course free.
A happy New Year to you all from all of us. We have now closed the library at Ashley Gardens and are working towards re-opening back home soon at the new building in Carlton Avenue East. In the meantime we have the event below:
Once again our lovely local band theSilvertoneshave agreed to be the star attraction at our winter party at the Windermere Public House, which is next to South Kenton station.
We will havefood, music dancing and a raffle. All welcome.. We look forward to seeing you there.
Donations for the raffle and of food will be welcome - just bring them along on the night.
Details are on the poster above. Entrance is £10 The library survives on donations, so the proceeds of the event will help to keep us going.
Now it finally looks as if the building, which has a controversial
history, is nearing completion! However, it is not that history, or the
architectural merits (or otherwise?) of the new block in its 1930s suburban setting,
which is the main point of this article. It is the name of the building that I
want to share with you - Henry Cooper House.
Why name the building after a famous British boxer? I’m sure it must be because
he lived in the Preston Road area for fifteen years from 1960 to 1975, a time
which included the height of his boxing career. He is mentioned in Part 4 of The Preston Road Story (published on Wembley Matters in 2020), along with information about the
library and Preston Community Library, which began with the support of the
hundreds of local residents who had objected to Brent Council’s plans to close
six of its twelve public libraries in 2011.
Henry Cooper in 1966. (Photo from
“Henry Cooper – the authorised biography”)
Back in November 2018, Wembley Matters shared the news that a blue plaque
to Sir Henry Cooper hand been unveiled above the shop at 4 Ealing Road, where he’d
owned and run a greengrocer’s shop between 1965 and 1968.
Henry Cooper at his shop, and the blue plaque now above it.
As a result of Wembley History Society being asked to support the
efforts of a local resident, who was successful in commemorating Sir Henry with
this blue plaque, I researched and wrote about his life and local links, and also gave an illustrated talk about them last year, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of his legendary boxing
match against Cassius Clay (now better known as Muhammed Ali).
A ticket for the Clay v Cooper fight at Wembley Stadium in June 1963. (Image from the internet)
But Henry did not only live in Wembley, at 5 Ledway Drive, for fifteen
years. With his wife, Albina, they raised a family here. I wonder whether they
took their sons, Henry Marco and John Pietro to their local Preston Road
Library, after it opened in 1964?
Albina and Henry at home with their sons in, late 1960s. (Image from the internet)
The naming of the new building as Henry Cooper House was news to me. I
only found out last week, when a local resident tipped me off about it, but it
came as a pleasant surprise. I hope that all twelve of the new Council homes
there will be let to local people in housing need at genuinely affordable rents!
And I wonder if Brent Council will invite Henry and John Cooper to the
official opening of the building named after their father?
Who is Shylock? A caricature? A grotesque? A construction of two
thousand years of persecution? All these questions are posed and answered in
Gareth Armstrong’s one man tour de force, Shylock, where using the device of
Tubal, an eight line and one scene associate of Shylock, he takes us on a tour
of not only the play but the systematic antisemitism that informed the play,
fuelled the play and ultimately continues to contribute towards the stereotype
of the Jew money lender.
Even the word “shylock” has been taken to create an insult on somebody’s
character; a mean spirited individual who regards the pursuit of wealth above
all. But is this a misappropriation? As the play tells us usury was one of the
very few professions open to Jews as they were expelled from country after
country and regarded as evil. However a reading of the play with the added
background context shows that Shylock is more a creature of his own
circumstances than any negative stories Shakespeare had heard; there is doubt
that Shakespeare had ever met a Jew so the character is drawn in stereotype but
for all this there is pathos and despair under the veneer of the hard nosed
businessman.
Gareth Armstrong is a total delight in his powerful and mesmerising one man
retelling of the tale. Part history lecture, part dramatic performance there is
not one moment that he does not hold the audience rapt, a pin could have
dropped and sounded like a tolling bell. There are some laughs, not many and
mainly at Tubal’s expense, but hard historical truths are delivered both recent
and over hundreds of years in the making and even the bible gets used to
illustrate the first instance of antisemitism. There is no pity, no “woe is me”
but a simple “this is how it is” in the telling of such facts. Along with
intertwining the key Shylock moments with the reflected views of the time is an
effective and compelling device which takes the audience fully inside both the
character and how he would have been perceived by the audience throughout
various periods in history; from Shakespeare’s original up to Nazi Germany’s
love of the play, no doubt to reinforce the views of their respective time.
The Merchant of Venice is seldom seen now in its original staging, no doubt
due to the problematic nature of the character of Shylock but this should not
be a reason for avoidance. In this work Gareth Armstrong unboxes the creation
of the character as a reflection of the continued suspicion Jews found
themselves under. The writing flows seamlessly and the performance is electric,
moulding and guiding the audience throughout the tale. This should be a must
see for anyone who thinks critically and has ever wondered why Shylock is cast
as one of the great villains of Shakespeare, when in fact he is just a man
trying to do his best in a world that is stacked against him.
