Friday 1 June 2012

All Souls 'distressed' by Kensal Rise raid

Extract from the Guardian website's coverage of Kensal Rise Library:

In an email sent to one campaigner following Tuesday's clearance, All Souls' estate bursar expressed regret at recent events. "The college became aware of what happened yesterday and we find it distressing," wrote Tom Seaman. "We had told the council that we would have been happy for them to have kept the library open, possibly through co-operation with the Friends of Kensal Rise Library, who had developed an interesting business plan. This was not to be, however."

Seaman pointed out that the reversion of the land was a purely legal process, adding: "This is not something we ever wanted to see happen, but because it is the law, is something we cannot change either.
"Any spin being put on this by others is unfortunate, but I hope you at least understand that the college is in no way responsible for the library's closure, nor what happened the other night."

A college official told the Guardian that All Souls had encouraged the Friends of Kensal Rise Library to talk to its agents about the possibility of renting or buying the building. He added that the building had always been intended to serve as a library.

"When we made the gift under the 1854 Literary and Scientific Institutions Act, it was a gift of the freehold to the local community and its democratically elected representatives," he said.

"We made that gift and there was only one condition: that it continued to be used as a library. Others, ie the democratically elected officials of the people of Brent, decided to close that library and therefore they triggered something – which is a law, which we have no control over; it's an act of parliament – and now it's reverted to our freehold."

The official also expressed his surprise at events that had resulted in the reversion. "We never thought that would happen. I am sure our predecessors in the early 20th century never thought this would happen: they gave it away."

1 comment:

The Local Don. said...

"We made that gift and there was only one condition: that it continued to be used as a library. Others, ie the democratically elected officials of the people of Brent, decided to close that library and therefore they triggered something – which is a law, which we have no control over; it's an act of parliament – and now it's reverted to our freehold."

It stops being a library when its use has changed. It's use is still a library and I can see no planning application for its change of use previously granted.


The Local Don.