Paul Lorber to contest Brent North for Liberal Democrats

Lorber cutting celebration cake at Barham Community Library

Paul Lorber, former leader of Brent Liberal Democrats, who was defeated in the May 2014 local elections, is to stand as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Brent North in the General Election.

Lorber was a councillor for 32 years and was leader of a Liberal Democrat-Conservative Coalition that ran the Council from 2006 to 2010. This required him to work with Bob Blackman, Tory group leader, who is now the MP for Harrow East.

He came to Brent in 1969 and attended a Brent secondary school. He lives in the Brent North constituency.

Lorber was an energetic campaigner against the Labour Council's library closures as a councillor and is involved in the community campaign which opposed the closure of Barham Library and set up two community libraries to provide a service to local people, especially children. The campaign continues and is fighting to set up a volunteer library in the Barham Park buildings.

The expenses scandal that engulfed both Dawn Butler and Barry Gardiner particularly incensed Lorber, who says it was wrong for them to claim expenses for second homes when their constituencies were less than 30 minutes away from Parliament. A major thrust of his campaign is a demand that they repay the expenses they claimed for their second homes before standing again.

Sarah Teather's distancing from the Liberal Democrats role in the Coalition, her sacking and decision not to stand again, and the wiping out of Liberal Democrat representation on Brent Council in May 2014 (except for one seat) as well as what many see as the Lib Dem 'betrayal' by working with the Conservatives on polices that have impacted so much on the poor, are likely to be major issues in the campaign.

Lorber has pledged that if elected he would continue to live in Brent and would open up a Brent North Constituency Office. He will  refuse to take an 11% rise demanded recently by some MPs.

His key issues are investment in training and apprenticeships for young people, investment in early years education and support for pensioners through fair pensions and access to activities and facilities.

General Election result 2010

Barry Gardiner	Labour	24514	47%	Elected
Harshadbhai Patel	Conservative	16486	32%	Not elected
James Allie	Liberal Democrats	8879	17%	Not elected

James Allie defected to Labour in July 2012 accusing his party of being hypocritical and having neither the will nor ability to make Britain fairer, greener and more equal.

Candidates so far announced are (in alphabetical order)

Scott Bartle (Green Party)
Mark Ferguson (UKIP)
Barry Gardiner (Labour)
Paul Lorber (Liberal Democrat)
Luke Parker (Conservative)

Library closures: how will you vote in May?

Brent library closures could swing local elections

The pop-up library continues

A report today from the Save Kensal Rise Library Campaign gives the result of a survey of a  representative sample of local residents:

• 72% of local residents say that shutting the library will definitely or probably affect their voting intention at the next General and Local elections
• Brent Council are overwhelmingly viewed as “very responsible” for the library closure by 94% of residents in 2013 (and a further 6% “slightly responsible”). All Souls College (54% very responsible and 30% “slightly”) and the Coalition Government (52% and 38%) come next on the list 
• 96% of respondents in 2013 feel that “Brent Council doesn’t listen to residents” and 98% think the actions of Brent Council have been “against the interests of the local community”. 
• Nine in ten (94%) locals “object to the library being turned into flats”. 95% agree that they “would worry about the lack of community space in the area”. Eight in ten agree “turning the library into private rental flats would harm the community” (82%). Only 3% think that “private rental flats would benefit the local community. 94% of survey respondents think urge that “the developer should listen to the pleas of the residents” 
• Since the library has shut,  72% of residents have decided against a trip to a different library which is particularly worrying in the context of our local literacy challenges and 51% have been forced to buy books they would have wanted to loan 
• 79% of residents say the pop-up library that has emerged is a cheerful presence that symbolises community spirit and 72% believe it epitomises local residents’ determination to fight Brent Council’s decision

In a survey released today of public attitudes to Kensal Rise library, the Save Kensal Rise Library campaign highlights the critical impact library closures will have on the next local and general elections. 

Almost 3 in 4 residents (72%) say closure of libraries “will definitely” or “probably” affect their voting intention. When asked who is responsible for libraries closing in Brent, 9 in 10 residents firmly cite Brent Council as most responsible (94%) with over half blaming the All Souls College (54%) and the Coalition Government (52%).

Highlighting the impact the decision is having on local lives, since the library has shut, 72% of residents have decided against a trip to a different library and 51% have been forced to buy books they would have wanted to loan  – placing ever greater pressure on tight family finances particularly on those with children. Over 1 in 5 (22%) residents say they have nowhere local to go to spend time with others. 17% have experienced overcrowding at an alternative local library session. The numbers have increased in all the areas over the two-year time period between surveys – which are worrying trends. 

Efforts to create a temporary pop-up library had gone down well with residents. 82% of respondents in 2013 said “it is a cheerful presence and a symbol of community spirit” and 84% agreed that it is a “good indication of residents’ determination to keep the library going”. All measures have improved over two years between surveys – indicating growing appreciation of the pop-up library despite recognition is it no long term alternative to a properly-resourced library. 

Margaret Bailey, co-chair of the Friends of Kensal Rise Library campaign said:

“The stark reality of the impact on lives comes through strongly. Closing Kensal Rise library is not just an issue for Brent’s balance sheets – it is hurting local families, children and elderly residents. People are putting off trips to the library and being forced to spend precious money they don’t always have to meet a shortfall in local provision. The social value of the library is going completely unnoticed”

David Butcher, co-chair of the Friends of Kensal Rise Library campaign said:

“The survey confirms what we knew, that passion is running high on this issue and that people will take this issue to the polls. Politicians and developers ignore this at their peril.”

“It’s time for all concerned to recognise the implications of closing services. We want them to come and speak to us about our plans to open a community-run library space that the public so overwhelmingly are demanding”

Voices from the survey – a selection of quotes from the survey

The library was a life saver for me when my children were small. It's the hub of community, somewhere to go when you are isolated.

As a child, I made my first fairy cakes from a book I borrowed at the library. Being Indian this was a big step as we don't bake traditionally. This one of many steps that made me feel part of the British community

When my first baby was two months old we were locked out in the cold and left keys inside. Desperate, I eventually sought help at my library, the woman advised me and offered me warmth and reassurance till the fire brigade came. Where else offers this kind of safe haven to isolated people?  

My children went there from birth & joined in all the events - Christmas, Divali, Chinese New Year etc.  We kept contact there with people who'd gone on to different schools etc.  I have always belonged to a local library and have never used one less than I currently do (in 51 years!).  I feel very sad every time I walk past it (almost daily).

I feel more isolated and I no longer have the help and service it's staff provided

I have nowhere to take my children to find books to help with their homework.

I have lost the chance to study in a venue with other people. Deprived of access to resources, I often work alone in my room

I regularly have outstanding loans as I have irregular internet access and have to travel specially to Queens Park.

I loved walking into the library space…and seeing the building, its beautiful fired tiles, the architraves and the feeling of welcome and well being it gave me. This reflects Brent Council’s lack of understanding about what makes people contented.

The day before the library closed, I got a book on Superman. This was when I was 7. I’m 10 now. I also remember a big party that took place before the closure, made to try and stop the council closing it. Everyone thought this was enough. 

I came with my four year old to the library on the afternoon the library had been raided by the police. My daughter was frightened and sad to hear her library had been closed and all the books stolen (as she saw it) by the police. 

Knowing that I am in a community where people can work together on something like this gives me hope for the future and inspires me to try to contribute more to the community 

The campaign has helped make us a stronger community.  Even those of us who haven't actually done much have been supporting in spirit and it has given us a common cause.  

I'm amazed and in awe of all who continue to fight and want to pass my appreciation on

People have been brought together, new friendships formed and a sense of common purpose shared.  This could continue INSIDE the building rather than relegated to the cold outside.

This building should not be destroyed by using it for flats. It should  definitely be listed and remain as a library and maybe for other community uses to make it more viable.

There are so few public places that we can go without being expected to spend money or pass through as quickly as possible. So few places where parents with young children or elderly citizens can feel genuinely welcome and unhurried. So few places that seek to expand our minds rather than entice us to empty our pockets. This is a thing worth fighting for.

We should never stop fighting to save a cause so vital in an age where so many people think the internet is a sufficient resource for finding knowledge. It will never replace books or libraries where people can meet in a haven of knowledge, discovery, and community.

I do not know anyone who would consider travelling as far as Wembley to use the library. The point about libraries is that they should be a local resource.  I am deeply indebted to campaigners for their sustained efforts on our behalf.

Note: 
The survey is based on a poll of 272 residents conducted between May and July 2013. With 272 responses, the survey is representative of the 10,668 population of the Kensal Green ward and the 268,000 population of Brent. The respondents reflected the area’s diversity in terms of age, ethnicity, and gender of respondents.

James Powney roasted in Kilburn Library

While his colleague Muhammed Butt was being grilled at Brent Town Hall James Powney faced a roasting at Kilburn Library. LINK

The occasion was the launch of veteran feminist and anti-racist Selma James' new publication, Sex, Race and Class: The perspective of winning. Cllr Powney was adopting a low profile in the audience. He might have been warned of what was to come if he had read Brent Council's press release on the event which included this quote from Selma James:

 I’m pleased to be talking with my community in our library and to support libraries as centres of learning and culture in every community. We need the libraries for our ongoing education to which we are all entitled.

When Selma started by stressing the importance of libraries and condemned Brent Council's closures of half the borough's libraries a member of the audience stood up and pointing to James Powney  said, 'We have the architect of the library closures in the audience here, Councillor James Powney, I hope he will listen and take note of some of the anger and outrage that residents feel about these library closures.'

The audience rose up up against the slight figure and angrily denounced Brent Council, library closures and capitulation to the cuts. Powney sarcastically said, 'Yes I am the evil architect of these library closures. I am going to defend myself' and gesturing to the refurbished library,  boasted of IT resources, new books and increased borrowing.

Needless to say the audience was not convinced.

DCMS not to intervene in Brent library closures

Library campaigners will be disappointed to hear the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has decided not to intervene in the Brent library closures.

The letter can be accessed below:

New Kensal Rise campaign video released

See the website HERE

Cllr Allie's new allies have questions to answer on health and libraries

Guest blog by library campaigner Gaynor Lloyd

I refer to the “open letter” from James Allie published on Martin Francis’ required reading Wembley Matters blog.

Speaking as a Labour supporter of the “Old” variety - and so heartsick at understanding this - Mr Allie will forgive my saying that he displays a woeful lack of understanding of New Labour’s role in the impending car crash of the NHS currently being accelerated by the Coalition Government.

Thatcher may have started the bridgehead of the private sector into the NHS – of which our Shaping a Healthier Future – Brent/Ealing plans are just the latest manifestation - but Blair, his assistant and his Ministers of Health pushed it into pole position. 

·        Simon Stevens walked out of Blair’s private office to a senior position in the British arm of United Health (an American healthcare company) which was keen to bid for my doctors’ surgery, amongst many other NHS facilities. 

·      Alan Milburn left the Health Ministry to walk into a£30,000 a year post as adviser to Bridgepoint Capital which is a private equity company investing in Care UK – on your front page last week as “managing” the Urgent Care Centre at Central Middlesex - which is all we’ll have left if the consultation goes through and A&E goes. 

·        Patricia Hewitt came from McKinsey (American management consultants) into Blair’s Health Minister’s job and promptly set off introducing the necessary means to get the American health model here, with its opportunities to take profit from our marketised health service. McKinsey have a role in drafting the very constitution of the Clinical Care Commissioning Group that will take over the responsibility for commissioning health services in our Borough (just like many other Boroughs) – so many thanks to New Labour, Mr Allie, for facilitating that. I would just say – be very careful, Mr Allie who you jump into bed with on the grounds of their “Labour values”.

Tory Andrew Lansley has to take prime liability for the latest reforms, of course but, as far as I can see, whilst the Lib Dems may have been useless in stopping the recent legislation, they do seem to be the only one of the three main parties without some “high up” compromised by his/her role in this debacle.

Why I really needed to burst into print was to rebut Mr Allie’s disgraceful comments about Paul Lorber and his alleged “posturing” in relation to the library campaign. Has Mr Allie had any sort of clue about the facts behind these cuts and the Library campaign in particular, he might have amended the script of his open letter. 

I have been involved in Brent SOS campaign virtually from inception. I am no Lib Dem but at least I keep my political points to facts. If you feel like getting a few facts, try asking the Council’s officers, Mr Allie, about what appears to be their gross mismanagement by the Council of their trusteeship of the Barham Charity resulting in losses over the years while the Officers treated our building in Barham Park as though it was the Council’s own. Perhaps if the Council had paid the rent it ought to have done to the Charity for the use of its buildings, the alleged losses that the Council based its closure of Barham on, might have disappeared!

I cannot speak for other members of Brent SOS campaign but, in so far as Barham Library is concerned, without Paul we would be nowhere. He works unceasingly for the disadvantaged people of his Ward – crucially affected by the closure of “our library” at Barham. Mr Allie, ask the 210 members – mostly children – who have joined the Barham Library in exile. Ask their parents whether their children love coming to our Volunteer Library for the fun we have, the educational quizzes and activities we do, and the number of books we issue, as Paul devotes time week after week after week. He is an inspiration to us volunteers. He does all of this, because he cares about the effect of the closures – not for the purpose of political point scoring but for the disadvantaged of Brent. 

I sat in the Council Chamber (as I can only think you did but perhaps you had dropped off) while your new colleagues laughed as they acclaimed the closure of our libraries. Some of them have had the grace to come and look at the work we are doing – even commending it. I still have enough naivety to believe they meant it and you just aren’t up to speed, being a new recruit. Please, Councillor Allie, remember that comments like yours may win you a few friends in your new “safe” home with Brent Labour Group – but they don’t cut much ice with anyone who knows anything about Brent’s unique policy on library closures, or the figures behind it.

Friends of Kensal Rise to attend 'Block Viewings' at library

Now the talk moves on.....

 Cluttons, the property agents for All Souls College will be holding 'Block Viewings' of the library on Wednesday 1 August from 9am to 12 noon.

This will give 'interested parties' an opportunity to view the library with a view to purchasing or leasing the building.

The Friends of Kensal Rise Library are preparing their proposal to the College and will be at the library too. 
 
We would be very happy to talk about our plans as we think we have the best proposal and we won't give up easily the fight to save the library for this community.
 
Petition to All Souls

The online petition is here and it would be great if you could sign it and circulate it to your friends:

http://www.change.org/petitions/all-souls-college-oxford-university-save-kensal-rise-library

Potential purchasers viewing Kensal Rise Library on August 1st?

I am unable to confirm but I have received a Tweet  saying All Souls College are holding block viewings of Kensal Rise Library for potential purchasers  on Wednesday August 1st 9am to noon.

A new logo for Brent Council?

Brent Council has launched its new logo (below) which it says 'is more representative of the borough as it is today'.  The motto 'Forward Together' appears to have been dropped - which given recent events is probably inevitable.

However, I don't really think this is representative of the borough as it is today - I suggest the following would be more appropriate following the Council's closure of half our libraries

If you have any ideas for a new logo, please send a jpeg to mafran@globalnet.co.uk

Begone you pesky petitioners! Brent downgrades petitioner power.

In a constitutional change to be discussed at the Council meeting on May 16th Brent Council is proposing that petitions of 5,000 or more valid signatures should no longer be debated by full Council and that those containing 2,500  valid signatures should no longer require a senior Council officer to give evidence at an overview and scrutiny committee.

Although the Council says its proposal is  a result of the Localism Act 2012 repealing the requirement for councils to adopt a petition scheme and leaving it to the discretion of each authority, there can be little doubt that the Labour Council has been irritated by the petitions organised by the Hindu community over festival funding, library campaigners over the closure of half of Brent's libraries and Keep Willesden Green over the Willesden Green Library Regeneration proposals. The latter was particularly controversial when Democratic Services  refused to hold a Full Council meeting on the issue.

The Council argues that this change will 'make the process more transparent' and will 'direct petitions to the decision maker as set out in the current Standing Order 68(e).

That Standing Order refers to petitions with 50 or more signatures and refers the petitions on upcoming decisions  to the Executive or the General Purposes Committee who can 'make recommendations concerning the petition to Full Council'.

As far as I can see this continues the erosion of democracy in Brent Council removing further citizen's ability to make representations to Full Council rather than the rubber-stamping Labour Executive.  If I was a backbench councillor of whatever political party I would be asking some awkward questions on the issue.

Brent Library Judgment on Monday

Lord Justices Pill, Richards and Davis are to give their judgment into the closure by Brent Council of six of its 12 libraries at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London.

The judgment will be handed down at 2 pm in Court 72. Brent SOS Libraries appealed against a High Court judge’s decision that Brent’s closures were lawful at a two-day hearing  on 10-11 November.

Dinah Rose QC argued on behalf of library users and Brent SOS Libraries Campaign that in deciding to close six libraries, the library had failed to prevent discrimination against groups such as Asians, young children and local school children, by neglecting to assess the impact on such groups.

Using the very same data that the council executive used to decide to close the libraries, Dinah Rose showed that 28% of Brent’s population is Asian and that 46% of active library users were Asian, so it was
obvious that the closure of the libraries would disproportionately affect Asian council residents.

She also showed that the highest concentrations of Asian populations in the borough were concentrated around three libraries – Preston, Barham and Tokyngton – all of which were closed. She had evidence to show that since closure, the library that users of these three libraries were expected to use instead – Ealing Road – was overcrowded.

Meanwhile the Council Executive has twice deferred its consideration of a report on the redevelopment of Willesden  Green Library which would mean its closure for two years and it has been revealed that the lease on Kingsbury Library Plus expires on September 2013. This work case scenario would leave only four fully-functioning libraries left.

The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has since launched an inquiry into library closures to which the Save Preston Library Campaign, Brent SOS Libraries and library users from Brent will submit evidence.

Petition lauched on £1000 councillor ACF expenses

Following revelations in the Brent and Kilburn Times that Brent councillors who chair  Area Consultative Forums ( held 4 times a year) receive more than £4,700 a year for doing the job, a petition has been launched on Brent's e-petition website. It calls for the payments to be reduced to £100 per session. The recent forums had low attendance following the council's decision to stop sending out postal reminders to residents as a cost-saving and environmental measure.

The petition can be signed HERE

It says:

We the undersigned petition the council to reduce the allowance given to chairs of Brent's Area Committee Forums to no more than £100.

At a time when the people of Brent are:
- Having to accept reduction in services such as street cleaning
- Having to accept losing half their libraries
- Having to (accept) a fall in real terms wages because employers either give below inflation pay rises, or no pay rises at all

It is not fair that chairs of area committees continue to receive large sums of money for chairing these forums. Some reports have claimed that chair people receive £1000 per session.

One would think that these individuals would be happy to carry out this important public service for free. Indeed I'm sure that a lot of residents would be happy to do so for no more than their bus fare.

Betrayal of library closures

From e-mail correspondence on libraries today:

The upsetting thing were the people who were utterly aghast at Neasden being shuttered. One young man - who spoke fluent Arabic, Farsi and Dutch, and who was desperate to improve his English, was appalled. He loves reading, lives in Neasden. Those are the people being betrayed.

Lobby against library closures Monday 6.30pm Town Hall