Brent Libraries Challenge: Day 1

A report on the first day's hearing is available HERE on the Brent Green Blog and there is an informative, and amusing,  posting on I Spy In Queen's Park HERE

The Evening Standard has an article about the case and an interview with Tim Lott HERE

I am sorry to have missed today but I hope to make it down to the Strand tomorrow afternoon.

Embattled Brent Executive Delays Library Disposal Decision

Leader of the Council, Ann John, tonight withdrew the Asset Strategy for the disposal of vacated libraries from the Executive Agenda. She said that this was because of the proximity of the judicial review and  councillors were constrained on what they could say about the issue. Campaigners thought it was withdrawn because the Executive had thought they could slip it thought unnoticed but word spread quickly over the weekend with the Council inundated with many requests to speak today.

The Save Preston Library's 5,897 signature petition opposing any sale or redevelopment of the Preston Library site that does not include a Brent public library, will now be presented at the August Executive when the item is discussed - unless of course campaigner's win the judicial review in which case it will be irrelevant.

Libraries Judicial Review on July 19th and 20th

The date for the Judicial Review of Brent Council's decision to close six of our 12 libraries has been fixed for July 19th and 20th at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand. When times are available for the hearings I will publish them on Wembley Matters so that as many people as possible can attend to show their support.

The Brent SOS Libraries case can be read HERE
and Brent Council's case is HERE

The Brent SOS Libraries Campaign is continuing to hold events to fund-raise for their legal costs:

Wed 13 July - An Evening with the famous actress Harriet Walter and author Deborah Moggach at the North London Tavern, Kilburn 

Wed 20 July - An evening with Philip Pullman, best-selling writer of His Dark Materials - Oueen's Park Community School 

Sat 30 July - The Preston Old Skool Dance 

All details available here: http://brentlibraries.wordpress.com/events/

Brent SOS T-shirts are also available as is signed merchandise by the likes of JLS, Nick Cave and Erasure at the Kensal Rise Library Campaign Shop

Brent S.O.S, - Donate for the legal challenge

The campaigns to Save Brent Libraries have joined together to mount a legal challenge to Brent's widely criticised closure decision. They are now seeking funds from the public to help mount the campaign. Full details are now on this blog HERE

They deserve your support.

Brent Save Our Six Libraries website HERE

Library Consultation Whitewash

To misquote, there are lies, damn lies and Brent Council PR. The May edition of the Brent Magazine contains an article on Brent libraries. In contrast to its coverage of the 'Transformation' consultation it does state clearly that six libraries will be closed but it is the final paragraphs on consultation that will get library campaigners seething:

The consultation ended on 4 March and since then the council has been carefully analysing the results and has taken on board many of the suggestions and views of both library users and non-users.

As well as inviting comments, the council also made it clear that it would be open to any suggestions from groups interested in taking over the control from the council of any libraries threatened with closure.

The council did not of course take on board the views of 82% of consultees that the libraries should stay open and did not publish its criteria for community take over until after bids were submitted. Cllr Powney eventually made it clear that any takeover require the community campaigns to purchase the buildings from Brent, rather more that is implied by 'taking over the control'.