Save Lambeth Libraries and the Carnegie Library occupation
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editor
hiraethified
editor
hiraethified
editor
hiraethified
There's a public meeting on May 2nd
Lambeth Library campaigners call public meeting on May 2nd to organise further action
Lambeth Library campaigners call public meeting on May 2nd to organise further action
editor
hiraethified
Report from the meeting. Good to see Rachel doing what councillors are supposed to do. Shame on the rest of them.
Lambeth library update: Lambeth library campaigners rally against Lambeth council at lively public meeting
Lambeth library update: Lambeth library campaigners rally against Lambeth council at lively public meeting
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Report from the meeting. Good to see Rachel doing what councillors are supposed to do. Shame on the rest of them.
Lambeth library update: Lambeth library campaigners rally against Lambeth council at lively public meeting
A swodge of the other Councillors (about a Baker's Dozen of them) were over at Bolney Meadow Community Centre in SW8, at the council's "Oversight & Scrutiny committee" meeting (the decision to demolish Central Hill estate, and the decision to amend the council's "Key Guarantees" to residents of "regeneration" estates, were "called in" by Tory Cllr Tim Briggs). Needless to say, they all acted like worthless fucks, and dtuck two fingers up to democracy.
editor
hiraethified
Update: "Residents are furious as the Council tells them they will spend £2m to dig up the building and further outraged as Lambeth Labour gives public library building to their friends".
Defend the 10 – Campaigning for Lambeth’s Libraries
Defend the 10 – Campaigning for Lambeth’s Libraries
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
What is of concern to me is if any of the surplus money that GLL/ Lambeth get from the existing Leisure centres is being diverted to this project.
This from the pdf linked in the Buzz article:
I understand that the bookish gym will be part of the existing contract that GLL have with the Council. Council will extend the existing contract to include the bookish gyms. Rather than set up a separate contract.
I read the above paragraph as saying money from the surplus will be used. But concerning as imo any surplus the existing Leisure centres name should not be used in this way.
The bookish gyms are a new business venture. It's not gaurenteed it will break even or make a profit in the immediate future.As with all new business there are risks attached. Imo there should be separate contract for the bookish gyms. To insulate existing Leisure centres from risk.
Already the works on basement costs have risen.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
All this was pointed out in objections at the planning hearing - and is relevant to planning policy. But was ignored by the committee.
brixtonblade
Well-Known Member
Yes. Leisure centre funds should be used to guarantee the rec and for genuine sports/activity spending and not underwriting this daft idea
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
One reason why it was decided to extend the existing contract is that if new contract was set up it would have to go out to competitive tendering.
This way means GLL have no competition.
snowy_again
Slush
Carnegie Asset Transfer Announced
"Lambeth Council has announced the transfer of Carnegie Library to the "Carnegie Community Trust" (CCT), a small group of 5 trustees which Lambeth originally initiated in 2012. The CCT's plans for the library have not been published or discussed with the community. In contrast, the other bidder, the CLA (Carnegie Library Association), has published its plans to re-establish the library and community facilities, has engaged widely with the community, and has an elected and diverse board, which includes representatives of library user groups."
"Lambeth Council has announced the transfer of Carnegie Library to the "Carnegie Community Trust" (CCT), a small group of 5 trustees which Lambeth originally initiated in 2012. The CCT's plans for the library have not been published or discussed with the community. In contrast, the other bidder, the CLA (Carnegie Library Association), has published its plans to re-establish the library and community facilities, has engaged widely with the community, and has an elected and diverse board, which includes representatives of library user groups."
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Who are the Carnegie community trust?. Ive googled name and can't find a website. I can find one for the Friends of Carnegie.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
OPINION – WHEN DID CARNEGIE COMMUNITY TRUST KNOW THEY’D GOT THE LIBRARY?
Another view.
The trust is a creature of the Council.
Another view.
The trust is a creature of the Council.
I got this in a Ruskin Park email
In other local news, the Carnegie Community Trust (CCT) has been selected as the preferred bidder for the asset transfer of the Carnegie Library building. The trust will now be negotiating terms with Lambeth Council and is keen to engage the community in its plans to get the building open, with a library. They plan to welcome back former users and extend an invitation to new and different groups and activities. As an immediate neighbour to Ruskin Park, we hope to develop a strong relationship with the trust around health, wellbeing and physical fitness for the whole community. For regular communications from the Carnegie Community Trust you can visit www.carnegiehernehill.org.uk and subscribe to email updates through getinvolved@carnegiehernehill.org.uk
In other local news, the Carnegie Community Trust (CCT) has been selected as the preferred bidder for the asset transfer of the Carnegie Library building. The trust will now be negotiating terms with Lambeth Council and is keen to engage the community in its plans to get the building open, with a library. They plan to welcome back former users and extend an invitation to new and different groups and activities. As an immediate neighbour to Ruskin Park, we hope to develop a strong relationship with the trust around health, wellbeing and physical fitness for the whole community. For regular communications from the Carnegie Community Trust you can visit www.carnegiehernehill.org.uk and subscribe to email updates through getinvolved@carnegiehernehill.org.uk
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
AFAIK two of the Trustees are Stephen Whalley (former leader of the council in 1994) and Fred Taggart (one of his councillors). I think they are both Herne Hill ward residents - but not aware of their policies on libraries. I guess these are the people you have to thank for regenerating the Ritzy if you come to think of it.
Fred Taggart addressed a meeting of LJAG once and I think could be described as "gobby" or "self-opinionated" depending on how you view monomainia. From my recollection LJAG decided not to get invovled with this trust (this was back in 2014 - they've been around a while).
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Gramsci - more information here.
Don't know if this as been posted before, but it comes form an earlier Friends of Carnegie document directed to councillors when the Friends group were bidding as a more suitable alternative to the "Community Trust"
Possibly putting this in a bid document did not help - given the way local politics works in Lambeth, on extreme party loyalty lines (notwithstanding there is no opposition to speak of).
The Shadow Trust Board is a band of eight people. At least five are local Labour activists. They are:
Fred Taggart, former councillor
Carol Boucher, former councillor
Stephen Whaley, former council leader
Helen Schofield, Stephen's partner in life
Jack Holborn, current councillor
They work in close cooperation with the Cabinet Member, Cllr Jane Edbrooke.
http://friendsofcarnegielibrary.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/For-Councillors-1.pdf
If you ask me this whole affair has been an "inside job" from an early stage, as in most regenerations. The community trust aspect enables retired councillors with the regeneration bug to pursue their interests at parish level - and attract funding from other agencies such as the Princes Trust, JP Morgan etc etc by claiming to be benefiting the young, the old, the poor, the Black and Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Since this is now apparently a done deal (unless someone is going to organise a Legal Challenge) I think I shall be asking them to accept 60+ and Freedom passes for free use of exercise equipment - or risk a referral to the Equalities Commission for Gerontophobia.
Don't know if this as been posted before, but it comes form an earlier Friends of Carnegie document directed to councillors when the Friends group were bidding as a more suitable alternative to the "Community Trust"
Possibly putting this in a bid document did not help - given the way local politics works in Lambeth, on extreme party loyalty lines (notwithstanding there is no opposition to speak of).
The Shadow Trust Board is a band of eight people. At least five are local Labour activists. They are:
Fred Taggart, former councillor
Carol Boucher, former councillor
Stephen Whaley, former council leader
Helen Schofield, Stephen's partner in life
Jack Holborn, current councillor
They work in close cooperation with the Cabinet Member, Cllr Jane Edbrooke.
http://friendsofcarnegielibrary.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/For-Councillors-1.pdf
If you ask me this whole affair has been an "inside job" from an early stage, as in most regenerations. The community trust aspect enables retired councillors with the regeneration bug to pursue their interests at parish level - and attract funding from other agencies such as the Princes Trust, JP Morgan etc etc by claiming to be benefiting the young, the old, the poor, the Black and Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Since this is now apparently a done deal (unless someone is going to organise a Legal Challenge) I think I shall be asking them to accept 60+ and Freedom passes for free use of exercise equipment - or risk a referral to the Equalities Commission for Gerontophobia.
editor
hiraethified
Cllr Sonia Winifred, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Culture, responds to campaigners criticisms:
Lambeth Council reply to criticism from Carnegie Library campaigners – exclusive
Lambeth Council reply to criticism from Carnegie Library campaigners – exclusive
editor
hiraethified
The campaigners have posted an open letter in response:
Library campaigners hit back against Lambeth’s claims about the Carnegie library’s future
Library campaigners hit back against Lambeth’s claims about the Carnegie library’s future
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
It has come to a pretty pass that I had to read Brixton Blog's coverage of the story to work out that yesterday's actual news story is that the Carnegie Community Trust (CCT) - dismissed in so many posts here as a group of Labour stooges - have now dramatically fallen out with Lambeth Council.
Carnegie trust accuses council of ‘political expediency’
And no, I'm not sighted on which members of which local Labour party branches are responsible for which poison in the "Corbynites v Centrists" battles, in which the fate of the Carnegie unfortunately seems to be yet another proxy battle.
Carnegie trust accuses council of ‘political expediency’
And no, I'm not sighted on which members of which local Labour party branches are responsible for which poison in the "Corbynites v Centrists" battles, in which the fate of the Carnegie unfortunately seems to be yet another proxy battle.
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Gramsci
Well-Known Member
It has come to a pretty pass that I had to read Brixton Blog's coverage of the story to work out that yesterday's actual news story is that the Carnegie Community Trust (CCT) - dismissed in so many posts here as a group of Labour stooges - have now dramatically fallen out with Lambeth Council.
Carnegie trust accuses council of ‘political expediency’
And no, I'm not sighted on which members of which local Labour party branches are responsible for which poison in the "Corbynites v Centrists" battles, in which the fate of the Carnegie unfortunately seems to be yet another proxy battle.
The letter from Carnegie Trust is dated yesterday. From the letter it says , despite reservations, they went along with the GLL gym. This despite them saying the local community didn't support it.
So despite the CCT finding in there own consultation that locals opposed GLL gym the CCT decided that this was acceptable. Now they have cold feet about it.
Given the date of the letter and the continuing opposition to GLL/ Lambeth gym libraries is this letter trying to give CCT street cred? Showing they aren't just stooges of the Council?
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
I think the killer is that it appears that no one had told CCT that they would get no rent from GLL for five years.
I would be just a bit pissed off if council officers had failed to mention that small matter when negotiating the asset transfer.
I would be just a bit pissed off if council officers had failed to mention that small matter when negotiating the asset transfer.
editor
hiraethified
It's all a giant clusterfuck of incompetence and opportunism and now Lambeth is enjoying a pincer movement of dissent:
Library campaigners hit back against Lambeth’s claims about the Carnegie library’s future
An Open Letter to Councillor Sonia Winifred | Carnegie Herne Hill
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
There seems to be an implication that the Trust would allow GLL to use the basement rent free for 5 years.
Might this not be against charity law?
editor
hiraethified
This is tonight. Please come along if you can.
Library campaigners to lead candle-lit procession to the closed Carnegie Library tonight, 31st August
Library campaigners to lead candle-lit procession to the closed Carnegie Library tonight, 31st August
