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