Council failed to investigate whether library closures indirectly discriminated against Brent Asians, QC claims

Outside the High Court today

The public gallery  of Court 63 was crowded with Brent library campaigners today as the first day of the Appeal was being heard.  The Appellant's QC made it clear that the library campaigners' case was based on the process that Brent Council followed in its consultation and decision to close the libraries, rather than whether it was right to close libraries as such.

She focused particularly on the Council's failure to recognise that its own data signalled the possibility that the closure of the six libraries would indirectly discriminate against the Asian population of Brent. The figures showed that whilst Asians constituted 28% of the Brent population, they accounted for 46% of library users while the white population of 45% accounted for only 29% of users. As 3 of the six libraries that were closed served areas with higher than average  Asian population,  they were left with only Ealing Road library in the ward with the most dense Asian population. (Before the closure of the other libraries more than 60% of Ealing Road users were Asian)  So not only were people deprived of their own libraries but the remaining library at Ealing Road, as later evidence testified, had become over-crowded as a result of the closures.

Cllr Ann John appears outside the High Court

The QC also drew attention to the fact that despite their high usage of libraries only 21% of responses to the consultation came from Asians. She argued that this should have alerted the Council to ask why Asians used libraries more than other groups and  why they had not been effective at getting the views of the Asian population. A double whammy. There had been no attempt by the Council to investigate if Asians would be more affected than other user groups.

A further argument was that the Equalities Impact Assessment, as required by legislation, had been done at the last minute, and after the decisions about closure had already been made for all practical purposes. Although the EIA was very long it was premised on the Council's belief that there was 'no risk' of indirect discrimination and therefore did not analyse the data. It was a question of 'never mind the quality, feel the width'. The Appellant's submission was that the Council had an erroneous approach to the EIA and had claimed that 'only' the elderly, those with a disability and the very young,(those who could not travel or migrate to other libraries), would be affected.

Council confusion over library 1.5 mile claim

Following Brent Council's correction of the oft-repeated claim that no resident is further than 1.5 miles from a library which left the impression that the original quote was based on all libraries, including those that have now closed, a Brent Council spokeswoman seems to muddy the waters again. It appears they were including libraries in other boroughs.

She is quoted HERE on London24, the Archant Group's website:

The Brent Council spokeswoman said it was “nonsense” that the council has been misleading anyone.

She said: “It is true that everyone living in the borough is no more than a mile and a half from a library, either in Brent or a neighbouring borough, and many residents choose to use a library in another borough. This was clearly explained in the proposals.’’

It looks like we'll have to all get out our measuring sticks. Could it be that Brent is measuring it 'as the crow flies' rather than actual walking distance?

Brent Nursery Closures Will Force Us To Pay Double

From Today's Evening Standard

Parents today told of their fears for affordable childcare if plans to close two council-run nurseries go ahead.

They claim that hundreds of children could be left without nursery places. 

Parents at Treetops Children's Centre in Willesden said they were given eight weeks to come up with a business plan to run the nursery from March - or face paying more than twice as much for private childcare.

Treetops has about 50 children on its books and 100 on a waiting list. Also set to shut is Harmony Centre in Neasden. 

Brent council said it was consulting on closing the centres because of "huge" government funding cuts. It claimed the nurseries are predicted to make a total loss of more than £250,000 for 2011/12. 

The council is also consulting on a further nursery, Willow, which could be restructured, taking children with disabilities and some children with special needs.

Parents in the borough say that many of them, especially single mothers, will be forced to give up jobs and go on to benefits because of a shortage of affordable nursery places. While Treetops costs £33 a day, other local nurseries are said to cost up to £70.

Charlotte Sones, whose one-year-old daughter Margot attends Treetops, is leading a campaign to save the centre. Mrs Sones, a 39-year-old writer and telesales worker from Harlesden, said: "I feel sick to my stomach about it, it's keeping me awake at night. 

"One, because the council have forced a group of parents into the position of having to save a nursery, and two, having the trauma of potentially having to move a child who has been there since she was seven months old." Charlotte Schilcher, an event manager from Harlesden, has two children, Alfie, six, and Betsy, one, who have both attended Treetops. 

She said: "Parents are really worried and nervous about the future and their children. These are the things that are directly affecting families in this area." Parents have until December 14 to submit plans to run Treetops, which is set to close on March 23rd. 

Brent council's head of early years and integrated services, Sue Gates, said: "We can't afford to carry on as we are now. There's lots of alternative childcare provision locally so families shouldn't face any problem finding a suitable place for their child and, if these proposals are agreed, we will help them to make alternative arrangements."

Crucial Libraries Appeal hearing Thursday - Try and Get Along

The Brent Libraries appeal hearing will begin tomorrow in the Court of Appeal at 10.30 am in Court 63, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London. Please try and come along for the hearing: the physical presence of those who case about cases like this makes a real difference.

The hearing will last 1 ½ days, possibly extending a little into Friday afternoon. The Appellants’  new QC, Dinah Rose, will open and close the case with the Council’s QC making her own submissions half way through. Dinah will argue the Council:

• did not appreciate the likely impact of its plans to close libraries on particular groups in the community, such as Asian people, and without understanding this impact properly could not make a lawful decision compatible with its Equality Act 2010 duties to eliminate discrimination;

•  did not assess need for local library services, especially that of children; and

• was unfair to community groups who put forward proposals to save the threatened libraries.

The legal team cannot be sure when the judgement will be forthcoming but it is likely to be speedy as the Court appreciates the importance of the case.

Evening Standard covers library distance row

Follow this LINK for the story

Barry Gardiner MP to speak out against the threat of climate change at Chalkhill meeting

Brent North MP Barry Gardiner is one of the speakers at a public meeting on climate change on Thursday 10th November at Chalkhill Community  Centre in Wembley. The meeting, “Food, Floods and Climate Change:  Pakistan, Africa, Britain” is organised by Brent Campaign Against Climate Change and starts at 7.30pm.

The full list of speakers is: Barry Gardiner MP, Cllr Jonathan Essex: Green Party and Glen Hart: Rail, Maritime and Transport union .

Ken Montague, Secretary of the Brent Campaign against Climate Change says,

The return of devastating floods to the Sindh province of Pakistan may be further evidence that man-made climate change is already a  life-threatening reality to millions of people around the world. The  terrible drought in East Africa, floods in Thailand, the drought that  has killed huge tracts of Amazonian rain forest, are the kind of extreme weather events that scientists predicted would occur with global warming. Although the poor in developing countries are bearing the main costs, droughts and floods in countries like Russia and Australia are pushing up food prices for us in Britain.

“This meeting will discuss the extent of the problem, what action Governments should take at the forthcoming climate talks in Durban, and what we can do to press for climate justice and future food security for ourselves and our children.”

Jonathan Essex says,

It is not the financial crisis that is the issue most visibly affecting millions of the most vulnerable across the world - but food and oil price hikes and floods - already a result of the clash of climate change with business as usual.

A global agreement and action on this issue is not a luxury item but a basic need for many - vital for our wellbeing and that of future generations.'

Don't doubt that together when we stand up for justice it makes it difference - we can act ourselves to live within our planet's limits and raise our voices to start making a diference now. '

This is one of a series of public meetings organised by the Brent Campaign against Climate Change. The free event will take place at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th November 2011 at Chalkhill Community Centre, 113
Chalkhill Road, Wembley, HA9 9FX, across the road from Wembley Park tube station. All are welcome.

Willesden Green Library Report Now Going to December Executive

The Brent Executive will now consider the report on the redevelopment of Willesden Green Green Library at their December meeting. The item was originally tabled for discussion at Wembley's meeting but no report was available on the Council website.

Redevelopment would involve the demolition of the existing building and a rebuild that would include flats and possibly retail outlets. The Council is searching for developers interested in such a scheme. The delay may indicate that the proposals are hitting problems in the current economic climate but could also be linked to the High Court appeal being heard on Thursday and Friday of this week.

If the development were to take place the library would be closed for two years with only minimal alternative facilities and would add a further library to the six already closed by the council.

Central Middlesex Overnight A&E Closure Protest

The Accident and Emergency department at Central Middlesex Hospital is due to close at night from next Monday, 14th November.

An emergency protest has been called for outside the hospital at 12.15pm on Tuesday November 8th.

Please come along if you can to show we are opposed to the run down of our NHS facilities.