Campaigners outside the Courts of Justice today
Six libraries in Brent closed for good today following High Court ruling
Lorraine King and Max Walters, News editor
Thursday, October 13, 2011
1:02 PM
Axe falls on half the borough’s branches immediately
Fiona Ledden, Cllr Ann John OBE and Toni McConville, Brent Council's director of communicationThe six library branches in Brent that campaigners fought vehemently to save have closed for good today (Thursday).
All libraries in the borough were closed today to allow staff to be briefed once the High Court ruling into the closure plans was announced.
But, following Mr Justice Ouseley decision to dismiss a judicial review launched by campaigners challenging the proposals Brent Council revealed that Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston and Tokyngton library will never open their doors again.
Fiona Ledden, Brent Council’s director of legal services, said: “Following the decision from the High Court the six libraries in question will not open again.”
The revelation is a bitter blow for the crusaders who have been battling to save the branches and have been refused permission to appeal the ruling.
However, they plan to lodge an application at the Court of Appeal against the judge’s refusal.
The unexpected instant closure of branches has also resulted in six members of staff losing their job.
Cllr Ann John OBE, leader of Brent Council, said the effected staff members had taken voluntary redundancy and the closures will be balanced by increased weekend opening times at the remaining branches.
She added: “We have been propelled into this decision and we have no other option, the government has effectively forced us into the decision with the need to save £1m.”
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2 comments
Ann John says the government has effectively forced the library closures - this is patently not true: the Government has not specified how savings should be made and, as I understand, has made a grant to Brent of over £2million to protect front line services. Labour sections of the Council have been trying to close these libraries since the nineteen nineties - inexplicable, and particularly shocking since those that will be worst affected by these closures are the the most disadvantaged in our community: the very people that Labour, above all, should be protecting. No wonder the electorate becomes disillusioned and cynical when their wishes are disregarded by a Council that has forgotten who is actually paying their inflated salaries and is spending their money on projects that in a time of austerity can only be regarded as hubristic. If the Labour Executive of the Council really cared for the vulnerable and disadvantaged in Brent, they would be willing to consult on how to reduce back office costs and accept the involvement of volunteers, if necessary, to work in conjuction with the trained library staff to keep all the libraries open and extend the hours. These libraries are valuable LOCAL community hubs - they should be developed and treasured. Once they have gone they will never come back.
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sonja
Friday, October 14, 2011
It is a matter of wonderment and a mystery as to why a Labour council has done its utmost to convince the floating voter who reads articles such as this one that they are as nasty and vindictive a bunch as those in the ConLib coalition. I trust their shared "excitement" about Brent's future (much diminished) library service will choke them all.
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Shirley Burnham
Thursday, October 13, 2011