Brent and Detroit in solidarity over library closures

Detroit Library Branch Closure Protested Again: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Brent SOS Library campaigners have sent a solidarity message to fellow campaigners in Detroit who are trying to stop the closure of their libraries. As the video shows there are many parallels with the Brent campaign, not least that one of their libraries is named after Mark Twain.

Brent allotment rents to rise again

Big rises in allotment rents caused a furore last year LINK and allottees have just received notice that they will rise again in April 2012.

The council says that rents will rise by 6% 'in line with inflation' although it is hard to see how the council's costs have risen by that amount with council officers' wages frozen and extensive staffing cuts in the Sports and Parks Unit last year.

The 6% figures is likely to be the norm increase for other council services in the new year, while wages, pensions and savings show a decrease in real  terms.

Brent Council lambasted in New York Times

Kamila Shamsie is the author of five novels, most recently “Burnt Shadows,” which was short-listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction. She grew up in Karachi and now lives in London. She wrote this piece for the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of the New York Times.

LONDON — A couple of years ago, after a reading in Karachi, I told off a young man who was asking me to sign a pirated copy of one of my books. Piracy is destroying publishing in Pakistan, I told him. He said he understood but added that because pirated books are cheaper he could buy more of them. It’s not as if Karachi is filled with public libraries, he said.

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A few weeks later, back in London, I walked into my local library and felt immensely grateful for how easily available books were — crime-free. I had no idea then of the crisis facing British libraries (pdf). Over the last year or two, you’d have had to be living under several rocks not to notice.

The part of North London I live in borders the council of Brent, now the site of an intense legal battle to save local libraries that has become the vanguard for similar efforts around the country. On Dec. 29, police officers held back protestors outside Preston Library while local government officials removed all its books, impervious to the nearby poster of Santa, a speech bubble over his head saying “Don’t rely on me; give kids their books back.” Since April 2011, 423 libraries have either closed down or been slated for closure — that’s almost 10 percent of all libraries in Britain.

In Brent, the move is being sold to the public as the “Libraries Transformation Project.” Six of Brent’s 12 libraries will be closed, and the more than $1.5 million that will (allegedly) be saved will then be used to improve the remaining libraries, create a Virtual Library and open a “super library.” That new building will cost more than $4.6 million, an expense that should give pause to anyone who says that tough decisions have to be made in this Age of Austerity — pause that might turn into speechlessness once you realize that Brent Council paid out $460,000 to consultants in March 2011, the same month officials recommended closing down all the libraries. Goodbye Austerity, Hello Transformation.

Losing half the council’s libraries will be transformative, of course. But the word usually implies a change for the better, and however wonderful it is, the super library will do little for those who live miles away. Ninety percent of users who were surveyed during the consultation process at the start of 2011 said they walk to their libraries; moving those libraries out of walking range will obviously limit their accessibility.

This simple fact appears to have been lost on the Brent Council leader, Ann Johns, who justified closing the area’s libraries on the grounds that books don’t cost much and that everyone already has computers and is getting e-readers anyway. Soon, she claimed, all Brent council residents will have access to the Virtual Library.

Putting aside the fact that this ignores how many people go to libraries precisely in order to use the public computers, one wonders whether Johns really thinks it is desirable to read War and Peace or even Tintin on a screen. As for e-book readers: Brent is among the most deprived councils in Britain. The idea that people who are deterred from visiting a library by the cost of bus fare will soon be awash in Kindles and iPads is more fanciful than thinking that Santa Claus can save a library.

Protestors are now mounting a vigil outside Kensal Rise Library, the only one of the closed libraries in Brent that hasn’t yet been emptied. It was opened in 1900 by Mark Twain. He once wrote, “A public library is the most enduring of memorials, the trustiest monument for the preservation of an event or a name or an affection; for it, and it only, is respected by wars and revolutions, and survives them.” Apparently it isn’t much respected by local councils and may not survive them.

Carry on campaigning for our libraries

Preston Library campaigners are continuing the struggle for Brent's Six Libraries to remain open and have issued the following bulletin:

The House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sports is holding an inquiry into library closures. You can see the terms of reference HERE  

 

Both the Preston Library Campaign and the Brent Save Our Six Libraries group will be sending evidence on what has been happening in Brent, but we would also like our supporters to write and tell them what impact the closure of the library has had on your family and your community. There is guidance on how to send in your evidence HERE 

 

You should email your contribution to  cmsev@parliament.uk and have 'Library closures' in the subject line. Submissions should be received by Thursday 12th January 2012.

 

As many of you will have seen, contractors pulled down the Brent 'Wall of Shame' hiding Preston Library on Tuesday. See the report  HERE  The Wall, with its popular support from local artists and schoolchildren, has become a major embarrassment to the Council over the last few weeks and they have finally decided that perhaps it was not such a good idea after all. It would be interesting to learn exactly how much this futile exercise of paying contractors to erect the Wall - and then take it down again - has actually cost Council Tax payers.

 

We have not yet heard whether our application to take our complaint to the Supreme Court has been agreed - but we will be continuing our fund-raising activities in the meantime. The next event: - return of the truly amazing Preston Pub Quiz with Quiz Mistress Extraordinaire, Frances, is on Monday 16 January, 7.30 for 8pm start. Poster will follow

  

We will keep you informed of any new developments - but stay in touch through our website http://brentlibraries.wordpress.com and the Facebook pages [see below]

 

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www.brentlibraries.wordpress.com

ACTION TO DEFEND LIBRARIES - SATURDAY 7 JANUARY 2012 11am-1pm - Willesden Green Library -PLEASE COME ALONG 

Plans to close Willesden Green Library for two years ( for an as yet undeclared development) are due to be reported to Brent Council Cabinet early this year. The council initially proposed  to open a small room next to the library - but have now been forced to seek additional study spaces.

Brent SOS Libraries are petitioning and meeting outside the library from 11am on Saturday to draw attention to the closure and demand that Cricklewood and Kensal Rise libraries be re-opened during the two year period. Several Cricklewood supporters have already confirmed they will be present.

Housing issues that will hit the fan in 2012

This is an edited version of an article in the Winter 2011 issue of  Partnership News from Brent Housing Partnership:

Brent Council is to consult on a new Brent Tenancy Strategy following new powers introduced by the Localism Bill which was passed in November 2011.  Any resulting changes will be introduced in 2012-13. Existing social housing tenants will not be affected but some new tenants will be.

New papers regarding the 15,000 households on Brent's housing waiting list will give council's more freedom to decide who qualifies to go on the list. This includes additional priority for households who are in work (but see Janice Long briefing below).

Other changes in social housing mean that homeless households in priority need can choose to wait for a council home to become available or, if they agree, be offered a suitable private rented sector home. New rules mean that the council can place some homeless families in private accommodation without giving them the option of waiting for a council home.

Under the new rules councils and housing associations will be able to grant a fixed tenancy of 2 years, 5 years or longer as well as retaining the option to grant a lifetime tenancy.

In future tenancy holders will only be able to pass their social housing tenancy on to one person, either a spouse or a partner, ending the possibility of other family members suc ceeding to the tenancy. This will do away with the discretionary (otherwise called second succession right), unless Brent Council decides to adopt its own rules.

Housing associations will be able to set an affordable rent up to 80% of local market rents on new homes and some existing homes when they are re-let. (This suggests we will have to redefine what 'affordable' means! MF). This is to cover the costs of changes in the way new social housing is funded.

Cllr Janice Long, lead member for housing, issued the following briefing note for the well attended Brent Town Hall meeting on housing organised by Barry Gardiner MP, REPORT,

Temporary Accommodation and Housing Benefit.

In January the 9 month transition for Housing Benefit comes to an end.  Many households will have a rent higher than their Housing Benefit.

The housing benefit caps are

1 bed = £250, 2 bed = £290, 3 bed = £340, 4 bed and above = £400

There are 3000 families in Temporary Accommodation.  This figure is fairly stable

BUT

As at 13/11/11 there were 268 households in hotel accommodation. This is a 70% increase in comparison to 2010/11, when there was an average of 157 households in hotels at any one time.  This figure is likely to rise.

B&B accommodation is more cramped, often not in Brent, is unsettling for the family and is much more expensive for the Council.

 All the households have been written to.  Landlords have also been contacted to see if a lower rent can be negotiated. 

One badly affected group are single people under 35 renting one room.  They are now only allowed a Single room rate, ie they must live in shared accommodation with a communal kitchen and bathroom (HMO). There are 124 people affected.

There is huge difference between their rent and the new HB rate.  All these people will be called or written to and be given advice.

A special team in Housing Solutions has been set up to deal with the extra cases.  Brent has also won a grant from DWP to have a team in the Revenue and Benefits teams to deal with extra queries and workload.

The effect on housing applications is:

As at the end of October 2011, 807 households had made a homeless application, this is an increase of 29% when compared to the figure as at the end of October 2010 (625 applications). Homeless applications which were accepted as at the end of October 2011 totaled 275. This is an increase of 33% against the October 2010 figure (207 acceptances).

Refer any casework to the complaints team: martin.beasley@brent.gov.uk or Tania.phillips@brent.gov.uk or customer.relation@brent.gov.uk

If residents live in private rented accommodation and the rent is above the Housing Benefit cap they will probably have to move or they will go into rent arrears.  But they must be given a legal notice to quit by the landlord.

BHP Casework should go to BHP.Complaints@brent.gov.uk

Universal Credit

Universal Credit begins to be introduced in 2013.  I will get some worked examples of the impact. One example to mull over:

The maximum a family can get under Universal Credit is £26000

If the rent for a four bedroom flat is at the cap of £400, the annual rent will be £19,200. That will leave 6,800pa to pay gas, electric, water rates, TV licence, phone, clothes, travel costs.  Food is optional. There is a fear that people will go into debt or take out loans they cannot pay.

Tenancy Strategy

Following the passing of the Localism Bill Brent is reviewing its housing policies including the tenancy strategy.  There will be full consultation but areas be covered include:

Homelessness Duties

Allocation policies

Fixed Term Tenancies

Affordable Rent

Cllr Ali referred to Councils that have prioritised working people.  Brent is not planning to do this but will aim to target help on households who are actively looking for work.  Given the job shortage it is a step to far to take away your home if you can’t get a job.  

Affordable rent is at 80% of Market Rent.  Due to high demand private sector rents are already high in Brent.  It will prove very difficult for many social housing tenants to be able to pay these rent levels. In 2010 the average (median) income in Brent was £22,064.  Half of social tenants are in employment. A three bed property at £300 a week will be £14,400 a year. This will mean many families will be in financial difficulties.

Brent Housing Partnership Issues

HRA

The Housing Revenue Account is ring-fenced.  Currently all rents are paid into Central Government and we receive an annual subsidy. From April 2012 we will keep all rents.  Brent is one if the gainers as our current debt is £338.3  This will be reduced by 184.9m leaving Brent with a debt of £153.4 (Figures are subject to final confirmation but should not change much.)  Brent has 9, 225 dwellings.  There will need to be a 30 year business plan to pay off the debt and to plan for investment in the stock.  Eg external decorations, energy work.

Some Council’s currently have no debt and are being given our debt.  There is mumbling but most Council’s are accepting the proposals as it means that they can plan for the future.  At the moment most Council’s cannot plan as they do not know what they will be getting from the current subsidy system.  So business planning and Treasury management will be introduced into management of the HRA.

This does not mean that the backlog of external decorations work will be done in 2012 but there will be a proper timetable of when the work will be done. 

A major difference from the scheme proposed by the Labour Government is that RTB receipts will be kept by the Treasury.  They will be pooled and handed back to Councils for new build. In London this will be done by the Mayor’s office.  So a RTB sale in Brent may not generate a replacement housing unit in Brent.  Also any of the new units will be at Affordable rent levels.

Right to Buy

The Government has announced increased discounts for RTB, the percentage is yet to be confirmed.  The aim is that the receipts will be used to build a “replacement unit”.  However this will be at the Affordable rent level – 80% of markets rates.

Since 1981 the following number of units have been sold in Brent under the RTB 

There are currently 9225 council housing units. Over 800 of the RTBs are now sublet.

In April  2011 there were 3181 families on the waiting list for 3 bedrooms. This was the most popular category of sale.  So RTB has had an impact on the waiting list.

Cllr Janice Long, Lead Member for Housing

November 2011

70,000 page views and counting

Wembley Matters, launched in May 2009,  had its 70,000th page view this morning. I would like to thank you all for your support and encouragement. 

Brent Council staff magazine on 'Team of the Year'

From Insight - Brent Council staff magazine

With the future of Willesden Green Library in the spotlight and questions remaining over the rest of the service, readers may be interested in revisiting the responses to the Willesden Green Library Open Day which was held at this time last year. You can find the document HERE.

AntiAcademiesAlliance AGM Jan 14th

Click to enlarge

With Brent schools exploring options for various forms of academies, including the Cooperative Trust model; and following Claremont and Kingsbury High converting last year, the forthcoming Anti Academies Alliance AGM should be a good source of information and campaigning ideas.

Register at: office@antiacademies.org.uk