Philip Pullman: Why it is wrong to close our libraries

I think it is a bad idea for councils to close any libraries because all libraries are treasure houses which should be looked after and protected.

Children especially are the people who can be nurtured into a love for books in libraries which they don’t easily find anywhere else.

Libraries are the only place where they can get the love of books that will engender a life time love of reading.

It is important because it is the fundamental thing that makes us civilised human beings

Follow this link to see full report of Philip Pullman's comments on the Willesden and Brent Times website LINK

All change in the local press

A couple of weeks after reporter Tara Brady moved from the Wembley and Willesden Observer to the rival Willesden and Brent Times, Kate Ferguson  of the WBT has moved to the Hampstead and Highgate Express (the Ham and High).

I am sorry to see Kate go as she has been a committed and resourceful reporter who went well beyond the re-writing of press releases that is becoming characteristic of so many cash-starved local papers. Tara Brady is well able to take up the baton.

Meanwhile things at the WWO are less clear.  There has long been a problem of the title not living up to its name with a preponderance of Harrow news, features and letters and this seems to have worsened recently - purchasers need more than a token Brent story on the front page.  The Harrow Observer series needs to strengthen its reporting of Brent issues as well as extending its features to cover the borough if it is to win credibility.

The Harrow Times dabbled in reporting Brent issues a while ago and seemed to be trying to increase the paper's range but again this has diminished recently. This week there is only one Brent story (the teachers' strike). There is no attempt to connect up issues common to the two boroughs such as academy schools,

Willesden and Brent Times Stands Up for Our Rights

At a time when much of the local press is in decline, doing little more than copying and pasting council press releases, the Willesden and Brent Times is going through a strong period. In its previous incarnation as the Brent Chronicle, the paper was known locally, half affectionately, and half in exasperation,  as 'The Chronic'. That description no longer applies.

The WBT has managed to keep a team of reporters covering Brent while the Wembley and Willesden Observer has to make do with one extremely hard-working reporter, and as a result it is usually dominated by Harrow news from its parent paper. The WWO to its credit launched a campaign to save Brent libraries but the WBT's coverage of the cuts has been exemplary, going well beyond the Council's sanitised version of events.

This week the WBT had coverage of the cuts on page 1, page 2, page 4, page 6 and the letters page. It had a long editorial on the cuts, the conclusion of which is worth quoting:
 While the budget is bleak the community should be proud.

Proud that they have launched such vociferous and sophisticated campaigns to save their libraries, sports and youth centres, which have forced council chiefs to rethink their plans.
Proud to be part of a society which questions its councils and Government and challenges them when they think they have got it wrong.
And proud of their capacity to rally round and support each other to find a way through this crisis in public services. 

We are fortunate to have the WBT with us as this crucial time.

Former Mayor backs Welsh Harp Campaign

The Willesden and Brent Times reports that Jim O'Sullivan, former Conservative Councillor for Barn Hill ward and a former Mayor of Brent has come out in support of the campaign to save the West Harp Environmental Education Centre.

He said, "It is a valuable asset for the schools in Brent and beyond. It should be saved in the interests of young people". Recalling past threats to the centre he said,  “There is a new generation of people who will hopefully have the same energy and determination to fight to keep the centre."

CUT AFTER CUT

I compile a weekly press review for Brent Green Party members. Last week's was so full of cuts stories that I thought I would publish it to help readers keep up with Brent Council's assault on non-statutory provision. WBT is Willesden and Brent Times and WWO is the  Wembley and Willesden Observer.


CUTS - LIBRARIES
COMMUNITY GROUPS WELCOMED TO RUN LIBRARIES DUE TO CLOSE WWOp5 Cllr James Powney calls for campaign groups to come up with practical plans to run libraries with volunteers.  He said he had three 'vague expressions of interest' from Kensal Rise, Cricklewood and Preston supporters. ex Lib Dem Councillor Peter Corcoran, campaigning for Tokyngton says 'I don't want to see a situation where it will run for a year, then it closes because people lose interest. The libraries are run by the council and should continue to be run by them. It is their responsibility -that is why we pay our council tax.'
CUTS -JOBS
COUNCIL TO SHED 400 MORE JOBS WWOp9, JOB LOSSES 'HORRIFIC' WBTp1  Following on 350 redundancies last year Brent Council tend to shed 400 more jobs. Letters were delivered to those affected  last Friday and the consultation period will end on April 17th.
CUTS - PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
DON'T HIT THE VULNERABLE WWOp14 Letter drawing attention to the impact of cuts on people with disabilities, mental health issues and autism. The writer says they should not bear the brunt of a crisis caused by bankers.
CUTS-PARKS
PROTESTS AT PLANS TO CHOP PARK WARDENS WBTp2, PARKS WILL BE 'NO-GO' AREAS, SAY RESIDENTS WWOp7 Protests against the axing of 9-1/2 park warden full-time posts affecting Roundwood, Barham,  Gladstone, King Edward VII, Roe Green, Preston and Gibbons Recreation ground. Cllr Powney said he was confident park security would be maintained - 'We will have a lower number of park wardens but they will still be covering the same number of parks, and be performing the same number of patrols. The key difference is that we will be moving away from a static service to a roaming one.'
CUTS - MENTORING
AXE LOOMS OVER GROUP HELPING YOUNG QUIT GANGS WBTp3 Despite referrals from social workers, pupil referral units and youth offender teams this centre run by a former probation officer and social worker is running out of money after government cuts.
CUTS - SPORTS CENTRE
GAME ON: RESIDENTS FIGHT CHARTERIS CENTRE CLOSURE WBTp5 Campaigners and Brent Eleven Streets Residents' Association met to help save the Charteris Sports Centre. Cllr Powney (him again!) said it was losing £100,000 a year. A committee has been set up to meet with the council and to work out a business plan to keep the Centre open. Powney said the plan would have to be convincing in order for the Council to grant a period of grace.
CUTS - EDUCATION MAINTENANCE GRANTS
EMA AXE 'SLAP IN THE FACE FOR STUDENTS'  WBTp13 Brent has the second highest take up of EMA in London with 3,684 claiming. It also has the 6th highest unemployment rate in London. research by the University and College Union shows 70% of students bin poorest areas would drop out of college if the EMA was stopped. Students, Vicki Fagg (CNWL principal) and Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala all protest at its abolition.

Students at the end of their Teather

Westminster University students demonstrated outside Sarah Teather's Willesden Green office this morning over tuition fees. Full report on Willesden and Brent Times website

WEMBLEY RE-THINK NEEDED

Some of you may have seen the five page Wembley Regeneration Special in the Willesden and Brent Times. The 'Special' reminded me of the old Soviet Weekly which used to extol the shining achievements of the regime, complete with impressive pictures and the words of the Great Leader.

In this case the words of the Great Leader are those of Cllr. Paul Lorber with contributions from the Quintain and St. Modwen developers all under the imprint of Brent Council, The Big Lunch and the Times. The headlines give a flavour: THE REGENERATION GAME, BOLD VISION FOR FUTURE (The Wembley Masterplan), SCORING GOALS FOR RESIDENTS AS DEVELOPMENT SPREADS WINGS (Wembley Masterplan), A NEW LANDMARK EVERYONE CAN BE PROUD OF (proposed Civic Centre), ACTION STATIONS AT WEMBLEY CENTRAL (the St.Modwen development at Central Square). Anyone reading this would not realise that every one of these developments has been contested by residents, the Green Party and in the case of the Wembley Masterplan, the Labour Party.

Publication in the middle of the Wembley by-election, when these issues are being hotly debated, is questionable to say the least.

The Willesden and Brent Times stable has always had my respect for being fiercely independent of the council. It is unclear whether this is 'paid for content' and thus not under the paper's editorial control or actually reflects the paper's views.

However, it is clear that we need to look again at the plans for Wembley High Road in the light of the recession, the changes in the Copland proposals following the dropping of plans for a tower block, and the impact of the Civic Centre.

Many Brent council buildings will be replaced by the Civic Centre including Elizabeth House, Brent House, Brent House Annex, Mahatma Gandhi House and Chesterfield House. There is already much vacant office accommodation to let in Wembley High Road and nearby streets, including Lanmor House, Dorland House, 390-400 High Road, Valliant House and some of Madison House. Empty office accommodation, like Unisys House at Stonebridge, will lead to neglect and dereliction with an adverse effect on the High Road.

We need to re-open consultation on the future of the High Road and its vicinity and address the controversial issue of high rise developments in the area. Future plans should have the support and consent of local people and actually improve the area in which they live.

The above is based on a 'Soapbox' I gave at Wembley Area Consultative Forum on July 21st.