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