Barnet Conservative candidates in Coppetts Ward have been
distributing a leaflet claiming the credit for saving Friern Barnet library.
This indefensible attempt to rewrite history is something that
cannot go unchallenged.
The Barnet bloggers have followed the story of Friern Barnet in
detail, from the moment in 2010 when Councillor Robert Rams launched the
strategic library review, making ludicrous suggestions about the possibilities
of ‘pop-up’ libraries in Tescos, and Starbucks.
We supported the raising of a petition, gaining over 7,000
signatures, and the lobbying of council meetings, and councillor surgeries.
This gave the Tories pause for thought and they relented from their initial
plans.
When the review was announced, only two libraries were marked for
closure: Hampstead Garden Suburb and Friern Barnet. As Hampstead Garden Suburb
was in a staunchly Tory ward, it took little pressure from influential local
resident groups for the council to grant a reprieve, and happily agree to
subsidise the small branch library in this most affluent area of the borough.
This left Friern Barnet library, in a largely Labour voting ward, as the sole
victim of Councillor Rams’ axe.
Community campaigners were invited to draw up plans to keep the
library open. As later events were to demonstrate, this was a crafty ruse by
councillors and senior officers, which meant the campaigners were working on
plans in the period where they could have instigated a judicial review. Such
time wasting slammed the door on legal remedy. It seemed clear to all involved
that the council had acted in bad faith and the invitation to draw up proposals
were never a serious proposition.
In April 2012, the council closed the library at short notice. A
symbolic occupation of the building by residents took place, to register the
sense of injustice felt by the local community. The same afternoon, valuers
arrived to assess the building for future development. The library was boarded
up, emptied of books, and left to stand until a plan of sale had been made.
The closure of Friern Barnet, as some have forgotten, was
justified by Tory members on the basis of a new library to be created in the
Arts Depot at North Finchley. This plan came to nothing.
Along with many other supporters and activists, Barnet bloggers
were at the forefront of the campaign to reopen Friern Barnet library, helping
to launch the People’s ‘pop-up’ library, not in Tesco, or Starbucks, but on the
village green next to the building, beneath the cherry trees. It was an act of
defiance from local residents and campaigners in response to the removal of a
much loved local community centre, and it received an astonishing outpouring of
support.
The pop-up library received donations of hundreds of books and
kept the protest alive throughout the weeks that followed. The BBC One show
came to film the event, the first of a wave of media interest in the issue.
Despite this clear evidence that there was enormous support for
the library, Councillor Robert Rams and his colleagues continued to ignore the
local community.
Through the summer of 2012, residents came down every Saturday,
come rain or shine to swap books on the lawn. As we approached autumn, and
weather conditions worsened, it looked as if the Peoples library may become
unsustainable: but in September 2012, the Occupy movement took over the Library
and the People’s Library moved back into its rightful home.
How did Robert Rams and the rest of the Tories react to this
demonstration of "Big Society"? They refused to engage with the local
residents, although ironically they were more at ease discussing terms of
occupation with Phoenix and his collective of squatters who had re-opened the
library on behalf of the community.
Within weeks, the library shelves were full and the library was
back in business.
Council officers were despatched to meetings to see if a
compromise could be reached, but the elected representatives of the Tory Party
ignored residents, and refused to attend talks. The council then launched
eviction proceedings against the people of Barnet, who were simply using a
public asset in the way it was intended.
Despite spiralling costs, the Tories persisted in the war against
their own citizens. When the case finally came to court - supported by legal
assistance organised by Labour party councillors - it lasted 2 days. The
council had originally claimed it was a simple possession case and asked for
ten minutes. It was clear to all that despite the judge finding in favour of
the council, there were strong grounds for an appeal. The judge herself
brokered a deal whereby Occupy would hand over the keys to the community and
the library would continue. The council had won the battle but lost the
war.
The sad truth is that there is no happy ending.
Does anyone trust the council after their previous tactics? It
would appear to be a mistake to do so. The election leaflet implies that the
library was saved by the ‘fervent campaign’ within the Conservative party
fought by Councillor Kate Salinger. In fact any success was entirely due to the
fervent campaigning of local residents, and the occupation of the premises: and
the library has not been saved. It still faces an uncertain future.
Barnet Council simply offered the re-named Friern Barnet Community
Library a two year lease, to park the problem until after the election.
The Council has refused to fund a full time librarian. The Council
has refused to allow the Library to access the council book stock. There are
even allegations of other Barnet Libraries refusing to allow posters promoting
events at FBCL. Most worrying of all, there is no long term lease, and
Councillor Daniel Thomas, the deputy leader, has merely guaranteed that the
building will not be sold in the next four years. What happens then? And even
if the building is not sold, for how long will the community library be allowed
to remain?
In truth the local community has preserved the building, and
filled it full of books, which is a stunning achievement. It is a wonderful
community enterprise, a victory of resistance against injustice, but it is not
a public library.
Barnet’s Tory councillors have been outmanoeuvred by residents in
their move to close the library and sell the beautiful, eighty year old
building for redevelopment as a supermarket or flats. But it is only a
temporary victory.
To ensure this library and every other publicly owned property
controlled by this council remains in our hands and does not become the target
of a ruthless agenda of sale and development, the only course of action is
clear: use your vote wisely on May 22nd, and do not return this Tory
administration to power – or we will all live to regret it.
Derek Dishman
John Dix
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne
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