Dear Supporters,

First, Thank You to everyone who turned up to show your support as well as express your outrage at the Council’s recent Cabinet meeting which decided over the future of our Libraries in relation to the Draft Library Strategy 2019-2023 for Ealing. A Big Thank You also goes to Carolyn Brown who, after consulting the different campaign groups, prepared a Pan-Borough Coversheet, that showed the total of petitions from the separate Library campaigns, which was handed over to Councillor Bell and each member of the Cabinet. Please see the call sheet attached. 

Despite 17, 500 individuals signing petitions (updated for 16th July 2019) across the borough and the powerful and eloquent submissions from 7 campaign groups (Unison/Save Our Seven, Hanwell Library User's Group, Hanwell Community Forum, Northfield's Library, Pitshanger Library, Save Ealing Libraries Change. Org and West Ealing Neighbours plus the objections raised by Conservative, Councillor Stafford), Ealing Council voted ‘unanimously’ to push through with its unwelcome Draft Library Strategy.  Though extremely disappointed, most of us who’ve been campaigning against the Council’s Library proposal were not surprised at all by the outcome.  We have found the Council - led consultation process to be farcical and feel there is evidence to suggest Councillor Bell and his team had already made up its mind ahead of the Cabinet meeting.

Moving forward and fighting on, one important the next step is to;

·         Wait for the Strategy document to be scrutinised by the Scrutiny Panel, which will meet on 8th August.  The Conservatives, we understand, have put the Community Managed Library (CML) Strategy in for review. 

·         We are also in the process of exploring and planning future actions (to include a consolidation of the Libraries campaign under a single banner and brand, more demos, a public meeting and a legal challenge, and more TBC.)

If you’d like to read my own presentation at the Cabinet meeting you can access it via this link (https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuvtJrO57Z1ooQWPsXSdvjjujLFw?e=SrpG29 . I hope to have a recording soon.

Let’s stay upbeat in the face of obstacles, adversity and Council intransigence. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win”. Vince Lombardi.

All the best,

Grace (Akuba)