Can you help sustain the pressure on Lambeth Cabinet December 7 6.30pm at Lilian Baylis Technology School, 323 Kennington Lane SE11 5QY (5 mins from Vauxhall Tube) News of pending legal Action: LAWYERS LINE UP AGAINST LAMBETH LIBRARY LUNACY Lambeth council faces a possible judicial review of its controversial plans for libraries - just days after it suffered a decisive defeat in another judicial review. (See: https://www.leighday.co.uk/News/2015/November-2015/Cressingham-Gardens-tenant-wins-High-Court-legal). The issue was the consultation it imposed on residents of Cressingham Gardens - judged in the High Court to be unlawful. The lack of consultation is a major plank in the new libraries case. Friends of Lambeth Libraries says: "Lambeth's 'culture2020' proposals were launched in January with a confusing and slanted consultation process. "It then produced radically different plans which were rushed through in just 10 days - with no consultation at all. "Residents all over the borough are strongly opposed. They have signed petitions in their thousands, and marched in their hundreds in the rain. This self-styled 'co-operative council' is shown to be nothing of the kind." The case is being brought by Public Interest Lawyers on behalf of a Lambeth resident who depends on Carnegie Library - one of three libraries condemned to be replaced by a fee-charging gym. It would have a small collection of books and PCs - but no staff to help people. The Claimant in this case is just one of hundreds of vulnerable people who will lose vital services if Lambeth forces through its plan to gut five of its ten thriving libraries. Lambeth's own culture2020 report admits there is no way to mitigate the damage to a long list of people who depend on local libraries and the help they get from staff. This is another plank in the case against Lambeth. The final - but vital - major point is Lambeth's refusal to even consider a viable bid from library managers to run all 10 libraries, fully staffed, within the financial constraints set by Lambeth. A similar refusal by another council has already been declared unlawful in a previous judicial review. Friends of Lambeth Libraries says: "We are being forced to go to law because Lambeth refuses to listen. We have gone through all its democratic processes, and been faced with the same blank wall every time. "It is still open to Lambeth to re-think, and accept an alternative that residents support. "We very much hope it will do so. "There is time, as its own plan is barely worked out - and many serious questions remain unanswered."