Barons Court Library Proposals

Barons Court Library - 10th July 1965 to 31st March 2011 - R. I. P.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council have published their proposals for the library service, there are some benefits for other libraries, but after reading the LIBRARY STRATEGY 2009-2014 UPDATE, this does not look like good news for Barons Court.

H&F is to "End the council run facility at Barons Court Library from March 31st 2011"  there is no real firm promise that the new 'volunteer run' service by Avonmore Primary School will take place or work as a fully functioning library when tried " If there is to be no gap.... when the council run facility at Barons Court Library ceases."

There are other organisations mentioned, the Citizens Advice
Bureau and Hammersmith & West London college, but no
guarantee they want to run a library service, or that  "the
volunteer model of service delivery," will be capable of doing so.

Does Avonmore Primary School want, or have the money to, run a full adult library service?  What will the opening hours be; will the present book catalogue remain (who will pay for new books); is there going to be a newspaper and periodical section; a reference section or computer access?

H&F have again sprung this proposal at the start of a holiday, as
they did with the initial consultation period and have
given opponents very little time to organize against this.

The decision on these proposals will be taken at the next Cabinet meeting on Monday 10^th January.

The proposals do not provide for the Barons Court library we campaigned to maintain or even try to continue it as a recognisably full library.

The Barons Court Library we know will close on Thursday 31^st March 2011.

• The H&F Library Strategy Proposals
• Barons Court Library a Photo History

Break-in at Lytton Residents Hall

Some of the damage to the Residents Hall

A sad day for Lytton TRA, we had a second break-in to our Community Hall in the space of less than a week.The first burglary last Friday was bad enough, but the one on Wednesday night caused far more damage. A kitchen door window was smashed to gain entrance. Thereafter, numerous cupboards and two storerooms were broken into and ransacked in the search for things to steal. The damage to the hall building and furniture inside will easily exceed £1000, all for the theft of goods worth no more than £20. There is nothing of any value in the hall, yet they have broken into it twice for very little return. The hall is for all the residents on the estate to use and enjoy. Now a very small element in the area has decided to target it.  A bad week for our estate.

Lytton in the snow

Click for more pictures

Library Holiday Opening Hours

          Barons Court Library

Christmas & New Year Opening Hours

December:-

Friday 24 -----------10 to 5

Saturday 25 to----

Tuesday 28--------- Closed

Wednesday 29-----10 to 5

Thursday 30--------10 to 7

Friday 31------------10 to 5

January 2011:-

Saturday 1 to----

Monday 3----------Closed

Tuesday 4----------10 to 7

• Library Services & login page

Crisis at Christmas - Volunteers Wanted

Crisis at Christmas are providing a centre on campus at Hammersmith & West London College. The charity for single homeless people are looking for volunteers to come and help out over the Christmas holiday period, between the 23rd & 31st  December. They will be offering food, clothing, healthcare and a range of educational facilities to homeless people. If you have some spare time during the holiday and want to help out contact Crisis at the link below.

• Volunteer for Crisis at Christmas
• West London College Christmas Crisis Centre Info
• Crisis at Christmas Centres

Chonicle Reports on Sainsbury's Local

The likelihood of a Sainsbury's Local store opening on the former site of the Fox Pub / Roots & Culture is firming up. Apparently, contracts have been exchanged with the owners of the building. For the full story check out the latest report at the Fulham Chronicle's online edition.

• Fulham Chronicle 

H&F Homes Invite

H&F Homes is currently reviewing its discretionary repairs policy and the ways they can best deliver repairs to vulnerable residents.

They are looking for potential vulnerable residents (e.g. an elderly person, a person with a physical disability or someone that may not necessarily fit into the vulnerable criteria but looks after or has a family member who is vulnerable), to come and join them to discuss and give H&F suggestions on how they can better provide the repairs services to this particular group of residents.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 15th December 2010 from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Hammersmith Town Hall. In attendance will be Les Cliff ( Repairs & Performance Manager), Nivene Powell (Business Analyst - Equalities & Diversity specialist) and HAFFTRA.
Some transport may be available.

Please contact Cecilia Parker on 020 8753 4621 or cecilia.parker@hfhomes.org.uk

Saturday's Monthly Councillor Surgery

Cllr. Helen Binmore

LETRA attended the monthly councillor surgery with H&F Cabinet member Helen Binmore. Helen is the councillor who pushed for the installation of the three new entrance ramps for Pelham House. The ramps are due to be installed in the Spring and all the residents of Pelham House will be grateful for her efforts in getting the works approved.
 We discussed a number of issues, the future of Barons Courts Library being first. She informs me that discussions regarding Barons Court Library are ongoing, with ideas such as whether it could become a community hub, taking place. Although the final decision won't be taken until next year, Barons Court Library may be safe, with a number of new services added. This will be a great result for all the residents of West Kensington, so lets hope they follow through on this plan.

 Next up, was the upcoming building work at Olympia and possible major works at the West Kensington Estate. LETRA suggested that these projects should have a significant amount of local labour and include training programs for residents, given the high unemployment rates in the borough. Helen agreed and said she would talk to developers to try and have this included in the plans.

 We also talked about the possible opening of a Sainsbury's Local on the site of the now closed Crescent Nightclub, which she felt, would be a benefit for the neighbourhoods residents.

 Lastly, Helen accepted an invitation to speak at a TRA meeting early in the New Year.

 The three ward councillors for Avonmore & Brook Green take turns to hold a surgery every first Saturday of the month, for 1 hour from 10am at Barons Court Library.

• Cllr. Helen Binmore's Email 

Sainsbury's Local at the Fox ?

Click for larger view

An interesting notice has been placed on the outside of the former Fox pub, latterly the Crescent Nightclub/ Roots & Kulture. It seems the Sainsbury's supermarket chain is considering opening a branch on the site. Certainty an improvement over a lap dancing club and a great addition for local residents, but maybe not so for all shopkeepers in the area.

W14 In The Guardian

Good to see the local site W14 has made it into the Guardian.  The Save Sands End Action Group are also name-checked in the article about community websites and the impact they are making in the "new culture of  localism." This they report is leading to local empowerment, with groups able to influence decisions affecting them and their community with neighbourhood sites.

• Story in The Guardian

Pelham House to get new entrance ramps

Architects plan of a ramp

Great news for the residents of Pelham House. After a campaign by LETRA and the help of a local councilor Helen Binmore, the awkwardly stepped entranceway's are to be extensively modified. Three new entrance ramps are being installed, with handrails and canopy's over the doors. This will help all those entering and leaving the block do so safely.  A much needed improvement from the difficult steps, with overhanging doors, that residents have to negotiate at present. The new ramps are due to be installed early next year and will hopefully be completed by March.

Click for full view of architects plan

• For further information on the plans

Executive pay at H&F

A speaker at last nights LETRA open meeting (minutes to be posted soon) referred to an article some may have missed, from the Mail on Sunday, about town hall executive pay.

Makes for interesting reading in these times of service cuts, such as the threatened library closure.

• Mail on Sunday story

Earls Court Development Master Plan Drop In Visit

LETRA attended the Master Plan Concept drop session for the proposed development of Earls Court and West Kensington last week. It will effect the Lytton Estate as there is a long programme of works to be completed, this in addition to, the redevelopment of Olympia Exhibition Centre. The plans are still at a early stage and many details need to be added for a complete assessment. Though a number of concerns still hang over the project.

Several questions were put to the developers.

1/ Will local residents that need rehousing because of the proposed development, be offered accommodation in this area, if that is what they want ? The answer given was yes.

2/ What is the estimated time-scale for the projects full completion ?  25 years was the answer given !

3/ Is local labour to be employed and trained in building work, given the high unemployment rate in the area? The answer given was that they will work with local agencies to look into and help with this.

4/ Are there going to be facilities for recreation for all age groups, especially the younger people of the area ? They said it will be considered.

5/ Is the historic and vital North End Rd. market going to stay on its present pitch ? Yes, if they want to, was the answer.


All together, LETRA feel the plans are not clear enough and the promises given by H&F and the developers too loose for a verdict on the project. Considerably more consultation work needs to be done with local people, to assess the full impact of this huge scheme. 25 years of building work on our doorsteps will mean a massive amount of disruption to everyone's lives, for residents who are being rehoused by the works and for those who live nearby while they take place.

Developers website

Librarians Manhandled at Westfield

Shepherd's Bush Library at Westfield

Librarians clashed with security guards this Saturday outside the Westfield Library. They were holding a legitimate protest against the library closures and pay cuts being imposed by H&F Council. The security men insisted they were on private property, even though the library was given to H&F by the developers. They shoved the librarians onto the pavement and only backed down when the police arrived.

• The Shepherd's Bush Blog (full story & video)
•  The Cowan Report

Earls Court Development Master Plan

All those interested in the proposed future development plans for Earls Court should attend the drop in session this Wednesday at the Holiday Inn, North End Rd., 10th November, from 1pm to 8pm.
You need to register first on the MyEarlscourt website.
The site also shows the redevelopment plan for the Olympia Exhibition Centre.


The developers website Myearlscourt

0pen Meeting Thursday 18th November, 7.00pm Community Hall

Lytton Estate Tenants and Residents 

Association

(LETRA)

Open Meeting

Thursday 18^th November

7.00pm Lytton Community Hall

Come and have a say about your Estate

Joe Carlebach

HAFFTRA

           

Invited guests:-

• Joe Carlebach your Ward Councillor & Cabinet Member for Community Care
• Sgt. Peter Stewart-Maunder of the
• Avonmoore & Brook Green Safer Neighbourhood Team
• Gaye Rose from HAFFTRA the TRA support group

Your chance to meet them all

Your chance to speak on any issues

Your chance to have a say

DOORS OPEN AT 6.50 PM

• Joe Carlebach: 020 8753 1011 or joe.carlebach@lbhf.gov.uk
• Sgt. Peter Stewart-Maunder: 020 8246 2399 or
• SNTFH-.Avonmore&BrookGreen@met.police.uk
• HAFFTRA: 020 8748 4114 or mail@hafftra.fsnet.co.uk

Excerpt From Cabinet Minutes: 14th October

Thursday, 14th October, 2010 7.00 pm

Cabinet Minutes:

The Council received two petitions against the proposed closure of Baron’s Court Library. One with 2350 signatures and the other signed by 28 residents of North End House and West Kensington Court, W14. In addition, 8 students of Normand Croft Primary School also submitted letters asking for the library to remain open. The Petition prayer was:-

“H&F Council plan to close Barons Court Library, as part of its library strategy. We, the undersigned local residents and/or users of the library, wish to register our objection to this proposal, and the lack of a meaningful and transparent consultation process. We call upon H&F Council to:

(i)Find a strategy to keep our library open.

(ii) Consult in a meaningful and transparent manner with the local residents on any future proposals affecting the library”.

Patsy Heavey and Chris Johnston addressed Cabinet in support of the petition requesting for the library to stay open at its current purpose built location providing improved and value for money services. She also asked the Council to properly engage residents and services users in any future consultation.

In response, Councillor Smith agreed with the need to streamline backroom support and cut staffing costs while improving investment in library stock. Officers will look at the Hillingdon and Westminster models before a decision was made. The Leader stated that books had to be at the heart of the library. The Council was interested to note that Avonmore Primary School used it as its school library. He reiterated that the current high labour cost and low level of material investment model was not sustainable. A new operating model had to be found in order for the library to stay open.

Cabinet thanked Ms Heavey and Mr Johnston for taking their time to attend the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That Officers undertake further research into the matter and report back to Cabinet as part of the Library Strategy review later in the year.

 Proposal to Cabinet

Full Cabinet Minutes

Save Sands End Campaign Council Meeting.

Picture from the F&H Cronicle, click to read full story

LETRA attended a full meeting of H&F Council last night in support of the Save Sands End Community Centre Action Group. The Full Council meeting was held at Fulham Town Hall in the Council Chamber.  Prior to the meeting over 40 protesters gathered outside the building, itself under threat of sale, for a friendly demo carrying placards with, 'Save Sands End,' 'Save Our Children's Services' and 'Save the Library.'  
 The Action Group had presented a petition with a historic number of 6900 signatories to the council and so were invited to speak at the meeting in the chamber. The petition requested that the Council “abandon its plans to sell the Sands End Community Centre which houses our library and community centre and reinvigorate the management of the centre to generate fuller use of its many facilities and thereby increase its value to the community and reduce its costs to the borough.”

 Their spokesperson, Nicholas Waldemar Brown, made a well argued speech for keeping the centre, highlighting the vital role it holds in the Sands End community. Providing a crucial library, top of the range adult classes, a well equipped gym and a number of other community services. Stating that the facilities had been run down and suffered from poor management practises that undermined the centres commercial potential, with the limited gym opening hours, being just one example of the lack entrepreneurial know-how. This from a business minded Conservative Council. They also put a number of pertinent questions to the the Council (see link below), but were rebuffed with councillors stating services would be relocated in the event of the centres closure.

 Following the presentation, a fierce debate took place between Labour and Conservative Councillors.  A member of the Conservative side even crossing the Chamber to argue heatedly face to face with a Labour councillor over a disputed amendment procedure. 
 Labour Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stephen Cowan, urged the administration to 'listen to voters' citing the large turn out in the Chambers gallery and the record petition signed by many of its own supporters. He received loud applause from the gallery. 
 Conservative Councillor Greg Smith, stated both to petitioners and the Labour opposition speakers, that the consultation period is still open until November 11^th and no final decision will be taken until the end of this or early next year.

LETRA backs the Sands End Campaign and hopes they will be successful in saving the centre.

• Sands End Campaign Statement & Questions, from the agenda
• Full Meeting Agenda (PDF)
• Fulham Chronicle Report 
• Good piece in the Cowan Report

Council Meeting Fulham Town Hall Tomorrow, 27th October

The Campaign To Save Sands End Community Centre have been invited to give a presentation and ask questions at a full Council Meeting. The council will be presented with a petition of 6900 signatures supporting the centre The meeting is tomorrow, 27th October, and starts at 7.00pm in Fulham Town Hall ( Yes Fulham ). Cllr. Stephen Cowan, Labour Leader of the Opposition, has asked for it to be held in the Grand Hall, so all who want to attend can be accommodated. But first the campaigners are meeting outside the hall, from 6.20pm, to protest.  Everybody interested in hearing the case for saving Sands End Centre should try to be there.

•  Meeting Agenda
• Directions To Fulham Town Hall
• W14 Blog entry

Committee Meeting Thursday

There is a committee meeting this Thursday, 21^st October, starting at 7.30pm. All residents with issues concerning themselves or the estate are more than welcome to attend. The meeting takes place in the Residents Hall. Hope to see you there.

Sands End Community Centre Demo

The Campaign to Save Sands End Community Centre held a well attended demonstration today, with over 200 local residents gathering outside the building. Speakers urged H&F Council to think again about closing this valuable amenity for the area. The children from Langford Primary School joined the protest carrying placards stating 'Save Sands End' and ' Save our library,'  a brass band was on hand as the children sang to keep the centre open.  A petition with over 6000 local signatures, all from residents of the Sands End Ward, was handed over to Greg Hands the MP for the area. LETRA joined the protest, as it is linked to the Save Barons Court Library Campaign, and is hoping the council will listen to the residents and children’s desire to keep the centre open.

Langford School Pupils Singing ( worth hearing, even viewed sideways on)

• You Tube with a longer video of the children singing
• Fulham Chronicle Report 

Friday Sands End Protest Meeting

The campaign to save Sands End Community Centre are holding a protest meeting this Friday, 8^th October, from 11.00 am until 2pm. All those who use or are interested in trying to save the centre are welcome to join the meeting outside the building.

The campaign run by the group, have already been successful in a legal challenge to H&F Council, on the length of the consultation time with residents. The consultation period, concerning the centres future, has now been extended. ( See Chronicle article )

 W14 Sands End Blog

Chronicle Update

Another fine piece in the Chronicle about Tim Coates, Chairman of Libraries for Life for Londoners, regarding Barons Court library.


Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle
Libraries for Life for Londoners

Barons Court Library, Early History In Photos

The newly opened Barons Court Library in 1966

Barons Court Library originally opened, June 1940, in a shop on North End Crescent. It then moved to the present site, October 1949, facing North End Road, in a prefabricated building fondly known as 'The Hut.' The current library buildings construction was started in 1964, with the library opening to the public on the 10th July 1965.

PHOTO HISTORY SLIDE SHOW
Thanks to H&F Archives

House BBQ

The Grange and Samuel Richardson Hs. held the annual BBQ yesterday. A lovely day was had by all. Many thanks to Annja and all her friends.  

Fulham Chronicle Publishes Library Closure Fight

Great coverage in the Fulham Chronicle today, about local residents campaign to stop the closure of Barons Court Library. Nice to see so many young and senior citizens joining together in the fight to keep our library open.

Fulham Chronicle story

BBQ and Fun Day For All Lytton Residents

Lovell are inviting you to a afternoon of fun and games

This Saturday 21^st August

1pm to 4pm

Outside Pelham House on the lawn.

BBQ

Face Painting

Bouncy Castle

Music

Barons Court Library Closure ?

The fight to stop the proposed closure of Barons Court Library is beginning in earnest. The LETRA committee believe (bar one member), it would be a very poor decision to close the library. Local residents are angry that this action is even being considered. The library has been a hub of the community since its opening in the 1960's. Many of our members have used, met friends, worked for and been educated by this tremendous amenity. All age groups, have made use of its wide range of facilities and taken the staffs friendly advice, in using the services provided.

We urge all residents on the Lytton Estate to fill out the survey form, regarding the library services future, supplied at the library; it is also available online (see below).

You can also let your view be known at a number of meetings being held on:

Tuesday 24^th August, 14.00-19.00, Hammersmith Library

Thursday 2^nd September, 14.00-19.00, Fulham Library

Tuesday 7^th September 2010, 14.00-19.00, Shepherds Bush Library

Library Strategy Document ( with survey form )

Barons Court Library Closure ?

Hammersmith & Fulham is conducting a survey on the future

of the library service in the borough.
A survey form can be picked up in the library

or printed off from the document link below.
The consultation period runs from 
now until the 15th September 2010.
The main issue for LETRA is the possible 

closure of Barons Court Library.
It has been proposed for future closure,

in the documents released,  due to financial reasons.
For more information see below.

Letter from Councillor Greg Smith: 

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services
Library Strategy Document ( with survey form )
Fulham Chronicle report

Hammersmith Today

Nice site for local news. Also, it has a handy events section with exportable information, just click the calendar tab (for google calendar users).

Hammersmith Events 

Too Much Sun At Pelham Play.

Pelham's new play area has had a serious case of sun burn. The new turf laid across the area has failed to grow. The combination of dry weather and heat has stopped the turf from binding to the soil underneath. Most of the new turf has now been lifted and rolled into stacks. It will be relayed later in the year, when the weather is kinder. The Play Area will not be opened until the work is finished. Hopefully that won't be too long. Any news on this will be posted here.

Play Day In The Park

For those of you with children the annual Play Day is happening on the 4th August. Its all taking place at Ravenscourt Park from 12 noon to 4pm. All types of fun entertainment will be there.

The park is situated at the far end of Hammersmith King street, nearest tube, Ravenscourt Park on the District Line.

Play Day At Hammersmith 

Impromptu Inspection

Met with Alan Hunter our new Housing Officer, from H&F Homes, this week. He came to see for himself, some of the issues concerning residents, at the Grange, particularly with the security problems and the condition of the outside sheds. On the issue of security some temporary measures have taken place, but the basic faults need to be addressed. He agreed to look into this and consult with management at H&F to remedy the situation. On the condition of the sheds, he agreed  the open units need emptying of rubbish and locking up.

We then continued with an impromptu inspection of the Lytton Estate, he wanted to get an impression of some of the issues raised by residents and the general layout of things. After, he said he was impressed with condition of the estate and the efforts residents had put into brightening things up.

Alan seems keen to help all residents on the estate, he has already resolved several outstanding cases. Although he warned, that because of cash constraints being imposed by the council, there will be less money to help with problems in the future

He will be at our next committee meeting held on the 15^th July, at 7.30 pm, in the Community Hall, all residents can attend if they wish.

Alan's contact email: Alan.Hunter@hfhomes.org.uk  

Committee Meeting

There is a committee meeting on Thursday, July 15th, at 7.30 pm. Alan Hunter, our new Housing Officer, from H&F Homes will be there to answer your questions. All residents are welcome to attend the meeting at the Community Hall.

Monthly Councillor Surgery

The TRA visited the councillor surgery held at Barons Court library. We spoke to newly elected Councillor for Avonmore and Brook Green ward, Joe Carlebach, about some of our concerns.

First up the good news, we asked him about the rumour that the Lytton Estate was part of the present councils redevelopment plans. He said that we were not included in these plans and that the Lytton was a good estate, so there wasn't a need to change it.

We then moved on to the problems residents are experiencing with H&F Homes, which covers a whole host of issues: slow or non-response from council office, repairs not being done, reporting those repairs, to issues with Lovell, the Decent Homes builder (difficulties reaching and communicating with Lovell, severe delays and lack of information). He told us that he had already passed on the last committee meeting minutes, of the Lytton TRA, to Nick Johnson, the Chief Executive of H&F Homes and understood our worries.

With the slightly separate issue of diminishing caretaker staffing numbers, see previous minute, he was concerned and going to look into it.

Some problems of the Grange regarding security and lasting repairs to access doors as well the condition of the outside sheds were discussed. He said he would try to get the work finished and the security tightened up as soon as possible.

Lastly, another piece of good news, he hoped to attend the opening of the soon to be completed Pelham play area.

The surgery is held at Barons Court library, for one hour from 10 am, every first Saturday of the month. All residents with issues or problems concerning them or the wider community should attend. It is a good forum to raise your concerns.

Contact:  joe.carlebach@lbhf.gov.uk

Directions To Lytton ?

Want to give someone directions to the Lytton Estate, well you can tell them one way is to Google 'Lytton Residents' Once we have been googled they can then go to our Blog (Here!) and just click the interactive map.Once on there make a printout of Lytton Estate Map page. They can even get a route to your house, by clicking directions in one of the interactive pop-ups. Alternatively, you can Email them the 'interactive' link by clicking send, top right on the map page.

Andy Slaughter MP To Be Our Guest Speaker

Andy Slaughter the recently re-elected MP for Hammersmith, has kindly agreed to be our guest speaker at the next open meeting, on the 16th September, at 7.30 pm, in the Community Hall.  To meet him sooner.

Mount Disappear

WHATS HAPPENING TO OUR RUSHMORE, 

IS IT A SIGN OF OUR TEAM ?

First we lose Rio and Theo

from the squad 

 Now the sign is disappearing 

They Are Gone 

  

CLIFFORD HOUSE HANGS OUT THE FLAGS

        One great example of the many flags out across the Lytton Estate

Committee Meeting

There is a committee meeting this Thursday June 16^th at 7.30 pm. All residents are welcome to attend the meeting at the Community Hall.

Monthly Councillor Surgery

Visited the monthly councillor surgery at Barons Court library.  I spoke to councillor Robert Iggulden, he informed me there had been changes at H&F Homes, with some senior management being removed. As far as the decent Homes project is concerned the new person to contact is Christine Gausden.

He also told me, that he was still trying to arrange a personnel inspection, with the Decent Homes management, to the roof of Pelham House; to judge the extent of works required there. This is necessary, as we believe a full refurbishment of the roof is required, due to the persistent problems caused with the roof, for residents in the building.

If you have any community or personnel issues, you feel need raising, the surgery is held every first Saturday of the month, for an hour, from 10 am and is well worth a visit.

Contacts:-

Christine.Gausden@hfhomes.org.uk

Robert.Iggulden@lbhf.gov.uk