Dear Supporters

Just a reminder of the photo-op and protest outside Northfields Library (255A Northfield Ave, Ealing, London W5 4UA) on Friday 7th June from 3.30 pm.

Also please remember we also have the lobby of the full council meeting on Tuesday 11th June from 6.00pm outside the Town Hall. Special Appearances TO BE CONFIRMED!

As James Conlon from UNISON has pointed out, we had hoped to present various petitions (Hanwell Library's, Pitshanger Library’s, Northfields Library’s, Ealing Broadway’ Town Centre’s, Greenford Library’s, Save Ealing Libraries.Change .Org, etc.,) at the meeting but the Council is not refusing to permit us to do this, claiming that as the petitions are related to a consultation, that the full council meeting is not the correct forum.  The Council may try to stifle democracy but eventually it shall prevail!!

Local Democracy in Ealing 2019. Ealing Council is clearly running scared!!  As James quite rightly questions, will Ealing Council ignore the thousands of signatures that have been collected across the borough?

Below is an extract from the minutes of a previous meeting that give the cost of the consultation:

 Q.3 Councillor Sumner asked the portfolio holder for Business and Community

SERVICES:

Can the portfolio holder detail how much has been paid to the facilitators and spent on the consultation on the future of the seven libraries under the threat of closure?

Councillor J. Anand replied:

“The council is committed to undertaking a meaningful and worthwhile consultation on the future of Ealing’s libraries, so that residents have a genuine opportunity to have their say, with as high a participation level as possible, opportunities for community participation in the future of libraries are identified and so that well-informed decisions can be made at the end of the consultation.

To enable this to take place, the council has spent £41,000 on the consultation process. This includes £17,200 for independent facilitators at seven public events in the areas where moving to a community model of library provision is proposed.  £13,100 has been paid for a face-to-face survey of randomly selected residents, with a further £7,000 for analysis of both this and the online survey and reporting of the findings. The remainder of the sum covers venue hire costs and social media advertising of the consultation.”

Councillors Sumner and Tailor asked supplementary questions.

Friends… This is what we are dealing with!!!!!!

I hope some of you will be able to come along on Tuesday and show your support.

Give Thanks as ever!

In Unity

Grace (Akuba)