Willesden Green Campaign gathers support

More than 30 people volunteered for Save Willesden Green's committee last night and quickly got down to the work of organising different aspects of the campaign. They aim to stop the development to give time for local people to have a say in the proposals, and time for the Council to reconsider their plans.

Only 12 people were involved in initial consultations and there are only 30 spaces available in Galliford Try's two consultations days on February 28th and 29th.

Anger is building at what residents see as a private 'done deal' between the Council and developers and committee volunteers included a broad range of local people including shop keepers, parents, teachers and residents.

Petitions to save the old Victorian Willesden Library from demolition and to relocate the Willesden Bookshop in the proposed Cultural Centre each look likely to gains more than 1,000 signatures. A leaflet has been produced outlining the issues and is being distributed widely, aided by more than £350 which was collected in a whip round last night.

The vast majority of people taking part have not been involved politically before but have been galvanised by what they see as their exclusion from major decisions about their neighbourhood.

Support Empty Classroom Day

Friday July 6th is 'Empty Classroom Day'.  This is a great idea to get children, teachers and parents learning outdoors. The aim is to get every classroom in London empty that day while children are out in parks, woodlands, open spaces, adventure playgrounds or city farms.

No desks, chair or whiteboards - liberate yourselves!

Sign up HERE

Alison Hopkins to fight Dollis Hill by-election for Lib Dems

Alison Hopkins

Brent Liberal Democrats have selected Alison Hopkins as their candidate in the Dollis Hill by-election.

Alison Hopkins has been active in the Campaign for a Sustainable Brent Cross Development, was critical of the revised Brent waste strategy and its use of co-mingled collections, and  campaigned against the closure of Neasden library.

No wriggle room for Boris as Jenny pins him down on buses

Barry Gardiner intervenes over Town Hall Library mess

Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North, went and saw the state of Brent Town Hall Library himself after complaints from constituents and my February 9th post on the issue LINK

The Library was in a mess after stock and shelves were transferred from closed down libraries including Neasden.

He saw  boxes of books dumped on the floor in disarray and apparently unsorted, stands and shelves with sharp edges unsecured and protruding. He wrote to Sue McKenzie, Head of Brent Library Service to express his concern and remarked that if health and safety inspectors had visited at that time they would have noted several serious health and safety risks.

He requested that the issue be sorted out urgently and also asked what would happen to the books currently being moved from the six libraries, and when they would be available for use by the public. In addition he asked if other options had been considered including dispersal to Brent schools, nurseries or children's centres

I visited the Town Hall Library earlier today and it was a lot tidier, although there are still boxes of unsorted books tucked under the  bookshelves. A number of additional shelving units from Neasden are now in use at the Town Hall. A large space has been cleared for the  '60 years of Wembley' exhibition which begins at the Library on Saturday. It looks likely that things will be quite congested.

Jesus and Mary in trouble with teachers

The Convent of Jesus and Mary College in Harlesden is facing strike action by education unions. The NUT is balloting for a strike and other unions are considering it because they claim the College has not consulted properly over conversion to academy status.

This follows similar issues with Kingsbury High School and Claremont High Schools last year and warning shots over Alperton High School's possible conversion which led to the governing body taking a step back.

The unions are thought to be willing to call off action if the consultation period is extended to allow an independently run secret ballot of staff, all parents to be invited to hear the case against conversion in addition to the arguments for, for the unions to be able to address the governing body about staff concerns, and for them to be allowed to meet with the Headteacher and Chair of Governors in order to negotiate agreed procedures.

The Convent has claimed that it would gain £300,000 from conversion but the unions argue this does not take into account other services, insurance and pensions that the College would have to pay if it converted. 

Convent of Jesus and Mary Consultation Page LINK

Willesden Green residents rise in defence of bookshop and Victorian library

Many thanks to BNCTV

Jeremy Hunt rejects Brent libraries judicial review

Legal advisers at the Department of Culture Media and Sport have comprehensively rejected the request for a Judicial Review of the Brent library closures and the complaint that the department's response has been tardy.

In their letter the Treasury Solicitor Legal Advises say:

(The secretary of State) is minded to conclude in all the circumstances that there is no good reason for an inquiry; and that the implementation of these plans will not place Brent in breach of its section 7 duty. The following matters seem to him at present particularly to support that conclusion:

i) The planned proposals are based on a comprehensive library service review. The manner in which the decision was taken was assiduous in its consideration of all the various interests at play. It was, as the Courts have now confirmed, lawfully taken
ii ) Brent have taken the approach of modernising their library service by concentrating resources on what it judges to be the best located and most used libraries. The libraries that will remain open will afford wide accessibility.
iii) Increased opening hours will operate at some of the facilities that Brent intends to retain.
iv)Improvements will be made to the outreach and home delivery services.
v) Library book stock (including e books and audio downloads) is set to expand.

 Margaret Bailey, who had lodged the claim for a judicial review, is given 14 days to make representations on this 'minded to' decision. The letter was dated February 14th Clearly this is a setback to Margaret and other library campaigners who have pursued the issue with such commitment, imagination and vigour. I can only express my admiration for their determination and wish them well as they consider what to do next.

The DCMS motto is 'improving the quality of life for all'...

Full copy of letter HERE