Ann John's last day in office - Kensal Rise Library ransacked

From Brent Liberal Democrats LINK

Councillor Ann John’s final day in office as Council Leader has been marked by Brent Council attempting to remove books and computers from the historic Kensal Rise library, so that the council can get ride of the building.

Liberal Democrat council group leader Paul Lorber, who joined protesters outside the ransacked library, said:

This is a kick in the teeth for local residents, who have demonstrated their opposition to Labour’s library closure plan at every opportunity.
It would have been appropriate to pause the process until library campaigners had a chance to meet the new council leader, Muhammed Butt. Inevitably this will lead to speculation that Ann John and libraries portfolio holder James Powney wanted to empty the library and get rid of the building quickly to make any change in policy as difficult as possible.

Despite explicit assurances from All Souls College that it was open to the idea of members of the community providing library services at Kensal Rise library, Labour councillors have up to now been determined to see the end of book borrowing at Kensal Rise and rejected the well thought out bid from local residents to run the library at no cost to the council. Because of restrictions imposed when the land was donated, the building valued at £772,034 will transfer to All Souls College for free.

Sarah Teather, Member of Parliament for Brent Central, has expressed her disappointment at Brent Council’s decision to clear Kensal Rise Library building of books and IT equipment today.
Commenting, Ms Teather said:

This is another sad day for Brent’s libraries. Campaigners have tried to work with officials to keep Kensal Rise library open, but have been ignored at every turn.
Labour leaders need to remember who they are supposed to be working for.  They must stop removing books immediately and talk to campaigners and local residents before it’s too late.
Councillor Butt has to get a grip of this matter if he wants to show that he can make a difference as Leader of the Council.

Kensal Rise library was erected on land provided by All Souls College Oxford using funds contributed by Willesden Urban District Council taxpayers, a donation from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and public donations. The terms of the land transfer meant that the land could be used to provide libraries for ever for the benefit of local people.

Full report into allegations against Ann John published

The report of the investigation into allegations that Ann John illegally intervened in a planning application, which exonerated her has now been published and is available below.

Apart from the findings the report gives insight into the relationships within the Labour group, concern over the the way the Planning Committee operates and the conduct of the chair, and includes walk-on parts from Navin Shah AM and Barry Gardiner MP. (Read from para 4.40)

It is possible to conclude that although she was cleared of wrong-doing the report's contents did not help Ann John in her bid to retain the leadership of Brent Council.

Save Central Middlesex (Park Royal) Hospital

GUEST BLOG

The public 'consultation' on the NW London NHS Strategy 'Shaping A Healthier Future' held in Brent at the Pattidar Centre, Wembley tonight ( 15 May) descended into chaos  as NHS bureaucrats led by Anne Rainsberry, NHS NW LONDON Chief Executive, desperately fought to prevent debate by patients hostile to the closure proposal for Central Middlesex Hospital.

The official programme of three hours of 'NHS talking heads' was forced to a vote to enable an open debate - however despite all 80  patients and patient representatives present supporting a demand from Brent NHS Patients Campaign  to hold an open debate a small majority of highly -paid NHS bureaucrats, a few Tory supporting doctors and paid NHS hirelings voted to continue with three hours of meaningless platform presentations.

Graham Durham,newly elected Secretary of Brent NHS Patients Campaign,said 

' The NHS is notorious for ignoring patient views and holding events which prevent open debate. This was the worst example yet with NHS bureaucrats earning over £200,000 a year desperately whipping NHS staff to vote to  prevent open debate on the controversial proposals to close Central Middlesex hospital and deny NHS patients their  opportunity to voice their opposition.

Whilst some of the ideas in Shaping ..are based on sound principles of locally available services they are to be achieved only by decimation of hospital services  across NW London.The preferred option of Tory GP Mark Spencer,Medical Director for NW London, was announced as the run down of Ealing, Charing Cross and Central Middlesex Hospitals.

The fight to save these hospitals starts now ..Brent NHS Patients Campaign is supporting the public meeting at Harlesden Methodist Church on 13 June (7.30pm) called by campaigners across NW London to prevent the destruction of these hospitals.

We invite all NHS staff opposed to this butchery of services in the poorest areas of NW London to join this campaign'

BRENT NHS PATIENTS CAMPAIGN 

Tel 07866 616492

BNCTV names the Mohers as possible conspirators behind John's ousting

BNCTV has published the following article speculating on the reasons behind Ann John's demise: LINK

Although Ann John has been losing on popularity greatly in recent times, this change has taken most people by surprise. A source within Brent Council has told BNCTV that Councillors Jim and Ruth Moher could be the people who played major part in this selection process. Is it a conspiracy theory? That is what people are now beginning to talk about. 

Ann John is a person respected by many, equally, a lot of people have been showing contempt towards Brent Council following their experiences dealing with its former Leader. Cllr John has received a huge amount of criticism regarding her handling of the process closing 6 of Brent’s 12 libraries and following that, she has not been seen as a constructive ‘player’ who would win votes for the Labour Party at the next elections in Brent.

Things were not looking good for Ann John after a complaint made by Councillor Paul Lorber and his request to investigate Cllr John and her ‘alleged interference with the planning process by seeking to influence a planning decision.’ This information was picked up in an e-mail sent by Labour Councillor Dhiraj Kataria to Councillor John and others. Although Ann John has been ‘fully exonerated’, many see it as a blemish on her reputation.

One of Labour Councillors in Brent has told BNCTV that he particularly did not like the process she [Cllr John] has been following in regards to the consultations with Willesden Green Library campaigners and her adamant stance to carry out the development of the new Cultural Centre as planned, and that is including the demolition of the Old Willesden Library.

So why would Councillors Jim and Ruth Moher be involved in this process? They simply could not see Labour Losing at the next elections. Ann John ‘has accumulated too much negativity’ around her handling of the issues and it would lead to Labour being ‘torn to pieces’ as put by our source who wished to remain anonymous.

By John Dempsey