GREAT NEWS

In less than a week, the petition currently has nearly 900 signatures. That is so fantastic.  Very many Thank You’s to everyone who has signed.  Extra-special thanks to the 50 supporters who have given over £620 towards change.org promotions, that’s brilliant evidence of how much people care about the former Mill Library.  

BAD NEWS - A SERIOUS OBSTACLE

BUT we have a hit a serious obstacle. A County Council officer has told me that the Council “will not consider petitions from, or submitted on behalf of a business, or person, where the main purpose of the petition is to influence a forthcoming commercial decision of the Council, or the terms and conditions of a commercial transaction.” 

The County Council is still insisting on treating the sale of the former Library solely as a commercial decision, completely disregarding the community’s interest in the building and its future use.  

The officer has said that “the petition will instead be included in the report on Mill Road library as context with a link to the actual petition”.  Making the petition a ‘by the way’, and giving the councillors no official route to discuss the petition.  The committee report (written by the officers) should be published by Tuesday (a week before the Committee meeting on 15th October).  I will do a further update when I have seen the report.

TACKLING THE OBSTACLE

In the very immediate, I am writing to all the County Councillors including substitutes, on the Committee, to appeal to them to 

1)  consider the future of the former Library in terms of its community significance and potential, not just as a solely commercial transaction. 

2)  accept this petition (so enabling me to present it to the meeting).

3)  put the community first.  

4)  accept the community bid for this building, enabling it to be restored to the community in perpetuity.   

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Many people have given money towards Change.org so that Change.org can send out promotions of this petition, and this is wonderful and very much appreciated all round.  What we are now beginning to wonder, is if these promotions may have reached their peak?  

It is also amazing that people are wanting to contribute to the overall campaign to keep this building for the community.  Again, a huge Thank you.  There is a way that you can make a direct financial contribution.  IF that is what people would like to do, then please take a look at millroadlibrary.com - and consider making a pledge. 

In the very, very immediate the greatest need for influence is to persuade the County Councillors that the future of the former Library needs to be considered as a Community issue, not just a commercial transaction.  

The greatest scope for influence is if petition supporters who live, or work in Cambridge, or Cambridgeshire can contact their (Cambridgeshire) County Councillors to say how important the former Library is to the community, and how much they want this building saved for community use (see my points 1 to 4 above).  It could be particularly helpful if Cambridgeshire County Councillors outside the city of Cambridge itself hear this from residents in their wards. 

I am drafting my own letter, and when ready, I will post it in a further update. 

A further context is that on Friday just gone (the 5th October), the County Highways and Transport Committee approved the very controversial Mill Road bridge bus gate (the bottom of the bridge is right next to the former Library).

In taking this decision, County Councillors put great emphasis on the local community’s views.  We need to get them to do the same in relation to the former Library.

Local County and City Councillors have been helpful and supportive. County  Cllr Richard Howitt (Petersfield) richard.howitt@cambridgeshire.gov.uk is the member   for the Ward in which the former Library stands, and a Substitute for the Committee. County Cllr Neil Shailer neil.shailer@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for the adjacent Romsey ward is not on the Committee. 

The County Council committee members who will make the decision are 

(CAMBRIDGE AND IMMEDIATE AREA)

Cllr Ros Hathorn (Histon and Impington) Chair.        ros.hathorn@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Catherine Rae (Castle). Vice-Chair        catherine.rae@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Lucy Nethsingha (Newnham) Leader of the Council     lucy.nethsingha@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Elisa Meschini (Kings Hedges) Deputy Leader.  Elisa.Meschini@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Alex Beckett (Queen Ediths) alex.beckett@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

OUTSIDE CAMBRIDGE AREA

Cllr David Ambrose Smith (Littleport).  David.AmbroseSmith@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Chris Boden  (Whittlesey North) cboden@fenland.gov.uk

Cllr Simon Bywater (Sawtry and Stilton).   Simon.bywater@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr David Connor (Whittlesey South).    david.connor@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Steve Count (March North and Waldersey). steve.count@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Lorna Dupre (Sutton). Lorna@lornadupre.org.uk

Cllr Stephen Ferguson (St Neots East and Gransden).  Stephen.ferguson@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Mark Goldsack (Soham North and Isleham) mark.goldsack@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Neil Gough (Cottenham and Willingham). Neil.gough@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Peter McDonald (Duxford). Peter.McDonald@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

SUBSTITUTES

CAMBRIDGE AND IMMEDIATE AREA 

Cllr Nick Gay (Market).  nick.gay@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Bryony Goodliffe (Cherry Hinton) bryony.goodliffe@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

OUTSIDE CAMBRIDGE

Cllr Michael Atkins (Hardwick).  Michael.atkins@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Henry Batchelor (Linton)  henry.batchelor@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Steve Criswell (Somersham and Earith) steve.criswell@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Anne Hay (Chatteris)  anne.hay@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Mark Howell (Cambourne) mark.howell@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Samantha Hoy (Wisbech East). samphoy@googlemail.com

Cllr Bill Hunt (Soham South and Haddenham) william-hunt@hotmail.co.uk