Pelham House Wall Rebuild

LETRA is pleased to see that building works, which we had asked for, have started on the rebuilding of the Pelham House boundary wall. The wall, that stretches along the pavements of North End Crescent and Mornington Avenue, had become insecure due to the expanding growth of the trees inside the gardens. The rebuilding of the wall will keep the series of London Plain trees, by giving them gaps in the wall to grow into, and provide a new safe boundary alongside the pavement.

H&F Cabinet Decision for Barons Court Library 5 December 2011

11.

Update on implementation of Libraries Strategy : Barons Court Community Library/ Avonmore Neighbourhood Centre  PDF 85 KB View the background to item 11. View the decision for item 11. Additional documents: EIA Barons Court Library, item 11.  PDF 47 KB Decision: That, in order to deliver the MTFS savings for 2011/12 and develop the More Than a Library concept via a community run service, the following actions be approved: 1.            To work with Hammersmith and Fulham Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to deliver a community library (the upper ground floor of Barons Court Library is leased to CAB to use half the space for its principal services and the other half a combined Self Service library and CAB waiting area, managed by CAB volunteers), the duration, rent and other terms of such lease to be as the Assistant Director Building Property Management and the Assistant Director (Legal and Democratic Services) consider appropriate. 2.            To note the financial risks if there continue to be costs associated with the lower ground floor, and issues related to the covenant, as outlined in the exempt report. 3.            That approval be given for an order to be placed under the Measured Term Contract for Non-Housing Projects 2011/2015. This procurement route is based on a framework agreement with three contractors. 4.            That the contract be awarded to Mulalley & Company Limited, at an estimated works cost of  £308,000 (including a contingency of £40,000) to which fees of £47,000 will be added, making a total cost of £355,000. The funding for this project will be met from the Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme 2011/2012 as approved by Cabinet on 7 February 2011 and the agreed protocol for variation as delegated to the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Assistant Director Building and Property Management. 5.            That the site be closed in January 2012 for a period of up to ten weeks (although this will be kept to a minimum), to allow  refurbishment works to take place, with authority delegated to the Cabinet Member for Residents Services, in consultation with the Executive Director of Environment, Leisure and Residents Services, to vary those dates should occasion require. 6.            To continue to draw down from corporate  contingencies the sum of £13k  per month should the site remain open beyond January 2012.

• H&F Cabinet Agenda & Decisions page

The Future of Barons Court Library

• H&F New proposals 

BBC 2012 – Work Experience Programme

·         About the scheme:

BBC 2012 – Work Experience Programme- Launched in January 2011 the programme aims to attract new and diverse talent to the BBC, enhancing our relationship with members of our underserved audiences. 

For the duration of the first year, the scheme  targeted residents of the six Olympic host boroughs, with huge success. Our ambition is to offer over 250 work experience placements over the course of the 2 year duration, delivering upon the BBC's commitment to creating a long lasting legacy, after the London 2012 Olympic Games. With this in mind, we feel that the time is right to broaden our application target zone to specific neighbouring boroughs to the BBC's West London base., and Hammersmith and Fulham has been identified as a key area that we wish to extend this scheme to.

The BBC London 2012 Work Experience scheme has been created with the sole purpose of encompassing social inclusion.  It is very much about opening the doors of the corporation to members of the public that would seldom get the opportunity to take up a work placement with the BBC. It is a completely separate entity to the pan BBC Work experience scheme which runs on an annual basis.

Now in its 4th session, the scheme has experienced huge success. Having recruited and placed in excess of 90 candidates over the past 10 months,  we are delighted to report that 15% of our first year work experience candidates have gone on to convert their unpaid work placements into paid employment with the BBC.  

At present we offer placements across various divisions including: Journalism; Audio Music; HR  Factual production, and multiplatform amongst others. Although at present the vast majority of our placements are very much production based, we are in the process of diversifying away from offering predominantly production based roles, and will be adding roles that encompass more administrative skill sets to increase the demographic of applicants that we have applying for the scheme.

·         Who is this scheme for?

This scheme has been set up to facilitate those members of society that have ambition, drive and determination, and are looking to gain new skills and experience in a busy professional working environment. 

We are looking for candidates that are aged 18 and over, who are not educated to, or are not working towards a degree or higher level qualification.

We are really keen to get applications from people who have been long term unemployed, career changers, and from members of the community from diverse backgrounds.

Essentially it is easier to say that the scheme is not for graduates! 

We do however require that all candidates that apply for the scheme have good IT, numeracy and literacy skills, as well as a genuine interest in the media industry.

·         How long do placements last?

The duration of placements is dependant upon the placement area, however it is safe to say that most placements last 4 weeks ( 20 days) in duration. There are a few that fall outside of this, such as the BBC Newsrooms and Radio 1 live events, both of which are 1 week placements only.

·        How to apply

An On-line application can be obtained via the link below with detailed information.  Work Zone can assist if required by contacting the phone number below;

• Gurnam Selvarajah    0208 753 4693
• Colette Burke              0208 753 4691
• Eiman Aslam                0208 753 4695
• For an on line Application
• Work Zone Web page

Save Addison Ward SNT Sergeant

Due to budget cuts, our local Safer Neighbourhood Team of Avonmore & Brook Green, is to share sergeants with the Addison Ward, who will lose their officer. A petition has been started by the residents of Addison Ward to keep their highly regarded Sergeant. To sign the petition and for more info click the link below.

• Save Our Addison Ward Sergeant Petition
• Avonmore & Brook Green SNT  web page

Crisis at Christmas - Volunteers Wanted

Click To Donate

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
• To Make a Donation 
• West London College Christmas Crisis Centre Info
• H&F Home Alone Pensioners Christmas Dinner

H&F Statement Concerning Proposals for Barons Court Library

This is taken from the H&F Web site:-

New proposals to secure future of Barons Court Library

Monday November 14, 2011

Exciting proposals to secure the future of Barons Court Library have been announced by Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council.

The council is set to team up with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) who will move into the building in April 2012 and run their advice and information services alongside the library.

The new facility will be known as the Avonmore Library and Neighbourhood Centre. If the plans are approved by Cabinet on December 5, CAB will manage and train local volunteers to run the self-serve library. In addition, The Urban Partnership Group will run parent and child sessions at the new centre.

The council will also be spending almost £400,000 refurbishing the building and installing the library self service machine. Repairs will be made to the roof, wheelchair accessibility will be improved and new toilets installed along with greatly improved energy efficient lighting and improved heating. The library will close in January 2012 so that these improvements can be carried out.

The council will also be buying new books and retaining public access computers with internet. Newspapers and magazines will also be available. By sharing space with CAB and installing self service terminals, the council will be saving £195,000 a year.

Barons Court Library was earmarked for closure last year as the council looked for ways to reduce its historic debt. The library was the second worst performing facility in the borough, with the second lowest number of visits, visits per hour of opening and second highest costs per issue and visit

However, it quickly became apparent that there was a body of local people who would like to become more involved with the day-to-day running of the library and the council vowed to see if the library could be saved.

The new library will follow in the footsteps of the hugely popular Shepherds Bush Library at Westfield which was promoted as ‘More than a Library’ because it offers residents a variety of services under one roof.

The CAB have also outgrown their current Mund Street officers and the move will enable them to provide a greatly enhanced service to local residents.  The co-location of a CAB with a library is a tried and tested approach, which is working extremely well in many other locations in London and across the UK.

Cllr Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “If this proposal is agreed, it will be wonderful news for local residents. Across the country, local authorities are closing their libraries in order to make ends meet. However, our innovative plan revitalises an underused facility, secures the future of this service while delivering a large cash saving by reducing our overheads.

“When money is tight some organisation’s first reaction is to slash services and try to shift the blame. Others think innovatively and develop solutions that save money and improve services so they are more accessible and convenient for residents.

“This really does embody what the Big Society is all about and we look forward to the library entering into a new era of stability and prosperity with the building used to its full potential. We shall be working closely with local residents and gaining their invaluable input as these proposals develop.”

Hugh Macmillan, Chair of Hammersmith & Fulham CAB, said: "We hope that this proposal will come to fruition and will be welcomed by the local community.  The new library will be staffed by volunteers co-ordinated by CAB staff.  We shall be looking for more volunteers from the immediate neighbourhood to join our existing team of staff and volunteers. 

"The CAB will be sad to leave Mund Street which has been our advice centre for a very long time. However, the building in Mund St is nearing the end of its life and is on the edge of the major proposed Earls Court development.  Our move to the Avonmore Library and Neighbourhood Centre will allow us to continue our service to clients in this part of the borough.

"The plans for the Avonmore centre are not yet finalised; we are working with the council to achieve this in the next few weeks."     

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has an excellent track record when it comes to protecting libraries from budget cuts. The council recently announced innovative plans to combine library services with Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This move will save taxpayers more than £1million a year and ensuring all of 21 public libraries across the three boroughs remain safe from closure.

The council will also be opening the new Sands End community library based within Hurlingham and Chelsea School in the new year.

Update 17/11/11

LETRA wrote to our MP, Andrew Slaughter, for his response to this statement. 

Here are some of the questions he has raised in reply: 

" Leaving aside the fact that they have refused to answer any of my direct requests for information on this, the press statement still leaves many questions unanswered.

1.       What service is the new library going to offer – size, range of products, opening hours?  Similarly what hours will the CAB open?

2.       What will it not do, that the current library does?  CAB are experienced with volunteers but not running libraries – it is silly to pretend this will be comparable to a professionally staffed service.

3.       How do the finances work?  What is the current cost to the council of the various services and how will that change?

4.       What is the future of the buildings?  Any guarantee that they won’t sell BCL – is it theirs to sell?  What happens to Mund St?

5.       Any other services to be located there?  I see they have stopped saying there will be Sure start there.

Some of the answers may be in the Ctte report, but I will ask again anyway," 

• W14 Forum- For the Latest Post on the Library
• Original H&F Page 
• Fulham Chronicle Article

H&F's Reply To Andy Slaughter MP

Andy Slaughter MP, on behalf of LETRA, recently made a further enquiry to H&F concerning the future of Barons Court Library and Marcus Garvey Park youth centre.

Below is H&F's response.....

"Thank you for your further enquiry regarding the future of Barons Court Library and also of the former youth centre at Marcus Garvey Park.

 With regards to Baron's Court Library, rhe services currently operating from the Library are library services consisting of loaning stock and giving access to events and activities such as reading groups and under 5's story times and rhyme times. Access is also given to computers. The library service will remain available until the building is closed for any refurbishment works and be installed upon re-opening.

 The delay has been due to the previous partner withdrawing in September from the negotiations to deliver a neighbourhood centre from the Library and to develop it as a community hub, including a library service. We have identified a new potential partner and discussions are ongoing but nothing yet has been agreed.

A report is scheduled for the 5 December Cabinet.

 In terms of Marcus Garvey park I can confirm that the current status of the disposal of the Avonmore Centre is that the property is now under offer.  It was being marketed by Lambert Smith Hampton inviting offers in excess of £500,000.  There are no restrictions on the future use of the building. None of the site to be sold is designated as Public Open space. However, the purchasers will be granted an easement over part of the Park for access only to the site to be sold .This area was subject to a public notice under Section 123(2A) Local Government Act 1972 for two consecutive weeks, on 8th and 15th July 2011advertising the granting of this easement  and no objections were received.

 I trust this has answered your enquiry. Should you have any further questions, please do not hestitate to contact the officers below."

Gill Sewell
Assistant Director (Children, Youth & Communities)
Children's Services Department

Chris Lloyd
Acting Head of Libraries

• LETRA's initial post

Remembrance Parade - Fulham

Click Poppy to Donate

Everyone wanting to attend this Sundays Remembrance Parade, in Fulham, should go to Parsons Green Lane to join the Mayor's procession, which will form at 10.20am and then march via New King Road to the Fulham War Memorial in Vicarage Garden, for an open air service.

Wise Up Hammersmith!

The Hammersmith London team, along with Books for Amnesty, are holding a two day Wise UP event in 

Lyric Square Hammersmith 

November 16th & 17th
Midday to 2pm

• Hammersmith London- Wise Up!
• Hammersmith Local

Home Alone Pensioners Christmas Dinner.

Christmas Dinner & Party at H&F Town Hall  2010

 300 Home Alone H&F pensioners can again look forward to a Christmas Day dinner & party at the Town Hall.  If you are over 60 and alone this Christmas, you are very welcome to join them for a roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings. 
 Volunteers will prepare over 1,500 sprouts, 60 kilos of turkey, 500 stuffing balls and 15 kilos of custard for the trifle, then serve a full Christmas dinner for all who attend this festive celebration. 
There are still plenty of places for the dinner & party, see below for info...

• For an application form call 020 8753 2135 or 
• Email events@lbhf.gov.uk
• Flickr Picture Gallery of the 2010 Christmas Party
• H&F Website
• Volunteer To Help

An outline of the plans for the new 'Neighbourhood Centre'

Click image for a slideshow of these pictures

 LETRA attended the monthly Avonmore & Brook Green councillor surgery, in its new and very comfortable venue of the 'thirysevendegrees' fitness centre in Blythe Rd, with H&F Cabinet Member, Joe Carlebach.

 He has been working with H&F to transform Barons Court Library into a 'Neighbourhood Centre.' The plans have not been finalise as yet, with an announcement slated for next month, but he was quite candid on some of the services that could make up the new centre. So here is an outline of the plans. 

Citizen Advice Bureau in Mund St. 

 He considers, that at present, “there is a lot of wasted space in the building”, making it very likely that the Citizen Advice Bureau, is to move from its Mund Street home and take up 50% of the present library floor area. The children’s section and the computer access will probably remain, with a facility for the ordering and the lending of books from the newly reorganised tri-borough library service. Whether the provision for users to read newspapers and current periodicals will stay, has yet to be decided on. In the basement, there is a possibility that the local Police & Safer Neighbourhood Team will have an office. In addition, a sum of up to £200,000 is to spent renovating the exterior; Joe didn't have any figures for the amount that will be spent internally on refitting the new 'centre'. 
 That is the extent of the plans Joe was able to reveal, as more work is to be done on finalising what the centre will provide.

 Altogether, admittedly at an unfinished stage of the process, LETRA regards this to be a poor substitute for the present service at Barons Court library. 
The CAB, which  is only open for 9.5 hours per week, will take 50% of the libraries main floor area, it could be rehoused anywhere, even downstairs in the buildings basement. Rentable office space in the borough is not that expensive, but refitting the interior so they can take up residence will not be cheap, with the council receiving only a short term gain from selling off the Mund Street building. 
 The newspaper and periodical area, is one of the most popular services provided, but it looks as if it will go, along with the bulk of the reference section.  
LETRA doesn't consider the present book catalogue on its shelving, to be "wasted space," but a vital constituent part of a library.

 It seems the new 'Neighbourhood  Centre,' will just be a collection of ad hoc services, shoehorned into the building.  There may be some savings, but that will provide a very meagre return for the local community, compared to the loss of all the available resources that Barons Court Library currently sustains.

Some Updates from LETRA

The former Marcus Garvey youth centre

LETRA recently asked our MP, Andy Slaughter, if he could find out from H&F, if there were any developments in their plans to sell off the youth centre in Marcus Garvey Park and for an update on the future of Barons Court Library. In response to this request, the council wrote to back him, with an outline of their plans. Unfortunately, the news for both facilities is not promising.

The youth centre was broken into by teenagers last year, causing internal damage, so it has been decided by the council, " to dispose of this building, having taken into consideration both the cost of repairs and the number of users.”  A poor decision, in LETRA's opinion and a big loss of a particularly well sited premises, which if it had been run regularly for the youths of our community, could have gone some way to alleviating some of the ASB, that we are blighted with at present.

Barons Court Library

 The council are still pushing ahead with its plan for Barons Court Library, as “officers are working with various organisations to deliver a neighbourhood centre from the Library and to develop it as a community hub, including a library service;” also stating that, “ further information is likely to be available in December.” What this means is still vague, as to how much of a library service will remain and as to what a 'neighbourhood centre' turns out to be. Also, if H&F follow previous form, there will be an announcement just before the Christmas holidays, so stifling any criticism of their proposals, as many people will be away. We will have to wait and see.

Nasty Rumour Update: 4/11/11

 It looks like reports, that the Citizens Advice Bureau is to become part of the 'neighbourhood centre' in the library building, are firming up. Local community website W14, state they have, "very reliable information," in which their source says "CAB have been approached to move from their offices in Mund Street to Barons Court Library."  If this happens, there won't be a lot of space left for a reasonably resourced library at the 'centre', perhaps one or two sections would remain, leaving just a token service. A poor substitute, for the excellent branch library, that serves our local community at present.

Fireworks Night At Ravenscourt Park

 This Saturday's firework display, at Ravenscourt Park, looks like being a coat and wellies night. Still worth going to, for the best display in the borough. Today's the last chance to pick up a discounted £5 ticket, at Lyric box office, the full price on the night is £7, with under fives free. The gates will open at 6pm, with the children's display at 7.15pm and the main show starting at 8pm.

• H&F page     Fireworks 2011

Review of Resident Involvement

 H&F have published their proposals for resident involvement and representation in its housing service. LETRA attended a focus group meeting, during the consultation period for this review. There we informed the council that we felt residents were not being listened to, whether through our TRA, or as individuals. 

 The proposals in this report, if implemented, do go some way to addressing LETRA's concerns regarding the problem of H&F's lack of response to issues we have raised with them. 

Lets hope this document leads to a real change in how our concerns are handled in the future. 

 To read the report yourself click the link below.......  

• Resident Involvement Document

Search For a Star

The West 12 shopping centre is hosting the finals of its 'Search for a Star' contest this weekend. The Semi-final will see five acts battling it out, between 1pm and 4pm, this coming Saturday, leaving two acts for the final on Sunday, between 1pm and 3pm. So if you want to watch and cheer local talent on, in a live showdown, get down there this weekend.

• West 12 page         Finals at West 12
• Chronicle Story     Search for a Star 

Sands End Community Centre Sold

Children's demo to save Sands End 

Sad to see that the Sands End Community Association attempt to buy the closed Community Centre, which houses the library, has failed. They offered the council £2.2m for the building and were proposing to reopen some of the Centre's facilities. The building has been sold to a developer, for an undisclosed sum and will be turned into luxury flats. A new library is to be built at Hurlingham and Chelsea school.
 News on Barons Court Library is still scarce, although H&F still seem to be living in denial about its closure, by maintaining that all '21 libraries in the new Tri-Borough service remain safe from closure', that figure doesn't include Barons Court, which is expected to become a 'Neighbourhood Centre' and be staffed by volunteers.

• Chronicle Story         'Money grabbing council' 
• Save Sands End        Sands End Community Association 
• Tri-Borough               Tri-Borough Implementation Plans
• Andy Slaughter          Lie-brary News

Rainbow Over Lytton

Pelham Driveway Being Resurfaced

Work to resurface Pelham House driveway started this week.
LETRA has lobbied for a number of years to have this job done, thanks to our persistence and the aid of council officers, a new road surface is being laid.  This will be a great benefit for residents and all our local neighbours, who use the driveway as a cut through.

Workmen preparing the driveway surface

The tarmac gang lay the new driveway 

Finishing touches are put to the newly laid driveway

In conjunction with the work at Pelham House, H&F have included some extra repairs to the road surface outside Samuel Richardson House. A very sensible policy that makes full use of the road resurfacing team while they are working in our area. Well done H&F !

Repairs outside Samuel Richardson House

LETRA at Andy's Surgery

LETRA met with our MP, Andy Slaughter, this Monday, at one his regular surgeries. He was just back from the Labour Party Conference, but was keen to have an update on issues concerning the Lytton Estate.

 First off, I told him about LETRA's new initiative, to apply for a grant from 'Awards for All', in conjunction with the 'Active Planet' team. If successful, this will result in a number of new youth activities, such as futsal, handball and craft classes, being held on the Lytton Estate. Hopefully, these will start early next year, if we succeed in winning a grant. Andy was delighted to give his full support to our application.

 Secondly, I raised our concern that the youth club building, in Marcus Garvey Park, is to be sold off by H&F Council. He said he would look into the sell off and see if anything could be done to halt or at the very least, try to make sure it is done appropriately, especially regarding the key situation it occupies, with all the other youth facilities sited in the park.

 Lastly, I asked if he had any news on the future of Barons Court library. 
As far as he knew, it was still uncertain what H&F intended for the building, although he did not believe it would continue to be used as a library in the future, with the volunteer model, now seemingly  becoming unworkable, after the withdrawal of Avonmore Primary School's once promised involvement.  He said, that he would try to find out if there was any new information concerning the councils plans for the library.

 Andy thanked LETRA for attending his surgery and asked to be kept up to speed with issues on our estate.

• Andy's home page  
• Active Planet site 

Olympia To Lose Weekday Service

The fight to keep a regular weekday service to Olympia has been lost. Transport for London have decided to remove the current timetable from this coming December.

• Transport for London's decision
• Hammersmith Today Report
• Chronicle report on local anger at the decision 

Thanks From Waqar & Zulfiqar

The managers of the recently closed 
and already missed corner-shop Mace,

 Waqar and  Zulfiquar, would like to 

"thank everyone for a wonderful experience."

Mace Closes

Mace the mini-mart, on North End Crescent, has shutdown.   The business was hit hard by the arrival of a Sainsbury's across the road.  Everyone will miss the friendly staff, who were there for us, 365 days a year.  LETRA's sorry to see such a good shop go.  Lets hope a new owner for the premises can be found soon, as it's a prime retail spot in the area. 
Update:  After talking to the shopkeepers, the new Sainsbury's, wasn't the only factor in Mace's closure, high rent levels were also to blame. The landlord is now looking to turn the property into flats, which they believe will bring a better return. 

The Last Pre-Raphaelite

The Burne-Jones & Morris families at The Grange

An interesting extract from, Fiona MacCarthy's 'The Last Pre-Raphaelite'  in the Telegraph.  It's on the life and loves of  the artist Edward Burne-Jones who lived at The Grange, the mansion house, that once stood within our estate.

• 'The Last Pre-Raphaelite'
• Slideshow History of The Grange

H&F Consultation on parking

Review of Parking Controls 

on the 

Lytton Estate

To be discussed at the LETRA Open Meeting

being held in the Residents Hall

starting at 7.30pm, Thursday 15^th September

Key points for consideration and debate

• We need to consider alternatives to towing

• Alternative parking control will be required on the majority of estates

• We want your views on methods of control and who qualifies to park

• New scheme could be self financing – drivers should fund service

• How do you want visiting vehicles managed

• Pilot scheme to run – 5 or 6 trial sites commencing November 2011

• Access to parking for carers, contractors and essential services can be sustained

• Local parking arrangements can be sustained

For your chance to vote on Olympia and the saving of a regular underground service to there
Go to the  Chronicle's Quick vote

• myolympia.org.uk
• My Olympia Blog

Chip Your Dog - Free

A free dog microchipping service is being run in Normand Park, Lillie Rd, on Thursday 15th September, starting at 11.30am and continuing all day. It is being hosted by the Parks Constabulary.

If you lose your dog the microchip will identify you as the owner and help in the recovery of your pet.

• Parks Constabulary

Next Meeting 15th September

Open Meeting

Thursday 15^th September 2011

 Residents Hall, 7.30pm

Guest Speakers -

Sharon Schaaf

Head of Estate Services

To Speak about

Alterations to Parking Regulations

on the Lytton Estate

Expect Major Changes !

Richard Johnson

Estate Services Manager

Taking Questions on Caretaking

Hannah Sills
Recycling Officer

Talking About The New Recycling Scheme