Job cuts across the borough

Details of where the cuts in services that will be made by H&F are being published. Many of our residents on the Lytton Estate will be concerned, when they read the report in the Fulham Chronicle at the extent of the cuts, both to jobs and services borough wide. The councils own online service, H&F News, has also published the budget proposals. It confirms this blogs report, in stating that 'Residents and the council are proposing to get together to save Barons Court library from closure while also delivering a major budget saving. Instead of closing, it is now proposed that the library will be taken over by volunteers and the local school.' For the details click on the links below.

• Fulham Chronicle
• H&F News

New Plans For Barons Court Library

LETRA attended the H&F Cabinet meeting last night, at the Town Hall, although nothing concrete was mentioned about the library at Barons Court during the meeting, Cllr. Joe Carlebach related afterwards, that they were searching for funding for it to continue at the current site.

Today, after speaking to Cllr Robert Iggulden, it now appears the situation regarding the library’s future is changing. The facility will no longer run by the library service. Instead, Cllr Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Residents Services, has proposed funding through the Education Services budget. Avonmore School has provisionally agreed to take over the running of the library in the building.

This would not just be a children’s service, adult sections will remain. All this is at an early stage of development and no firm proposals have been decided on - as to what hours or how many of the library's resources can be maintained.

If H&F stick with these proposals, we may still have some sort of library service at Barons Court. Let's hope so.

West London Showcase

Sat 15th & Sun 16th January 2011

Hammersmith Town Hall

From 12pm Till 8pm Both Days

If you can sing, dance, rap or even tell jokes and are aged between 13-21 years and from Hammersmith & Fulham then call to book your audition now by contacting the Neighbourhood Wardens on 020 8753 2645 or text/email your details to 07980 251 632 or nws@lbhf.gov.uk stating what day you can attend

Don't miss this chance to showcase your talents

Music Industry Prizes to be awarded on evening of the main event

Some More Library Updates

Check out the W14 Community Website for some further updates on the intentions of H&F regarding the library service, including the future of Sands End Community Centre and its library. It does not make for happy New Years reading. 
Here is part of the latest statement:- "The council is looking into the proposals to place a centre at the Baron’s Court library, which would become the Avonmore Neighbourhood Centre, run with the help of local community groups." 

It is still unclear if an adult library will remain in the building, with the children’s section moving to Avonmore School and any remaining facility being run by volunteers. See lastest posts on the W14 link below for more on this. It looks like closure.  

• W14
• H&F News
• Save Sands End Blog
• Plan to Save Sands End-  Chronicle 

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