Comments on: UPPER NORWOOD OR WEST NORWOOD AS A TOWN CENTRE LIBRARY? – HOW LAMBETH HAVE ‘COOKED THE BOOKS’

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 19:54:25 +0000

This is an unfair comparison – West Norwood library has been in a temporary site for years and has nowhere near the footfall you would expect when the original library was up and running. It has been underinvested and unsupported in its temporary home and needs the support of local residents and Lambeth just as much as Upper Norwood does.

I don’t want to see one site lose out at the expense of the other, I want both libraries to survive and remain open, but to suggest that somehow West Norwood does not deserve its share of investment when it has suffered so much neglect over the years, I don’t think is fair.

By: Paul Brewer

Paul Brewer — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 19:15:39 +0000

Very disappointing that have chosen to set Upper Norwood Library against West Norwood Library. The only way we can defeat these ludicrous proposals is by presenting a united voice. Down the hill in West Norwood we are 100 % behind the campaign to get the whole thing reviewed. You are also clearly not well informed. West Norwood Library has been in temporary accommodation since 2012 when the council failed to intervene to prevent the theft of the copper roof over 11 different occasions. Before that the library was the third most used in the borough, even though unlike Streatham and Brixton it was never open for 7 days. But set all that aside, the most important thing is that we all lobby the council and do not allow them to divide and rule over this.

Paul Brewer
Chair
The Friends of West Norwood Library

By: Paul Brewer

Paul Brewer — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 18:54:24 +0000

As the Chair of The Friends Of West Norwood Library I am disappointed that you are playing straight into the hands of Lambeth Council on this. Down the hill we are backing Upper Norwood Joint Library 100% and are united against the council’s crazy plans. You are also clearly not very well informed. West Norwood library has been operating in inadequate temporary premises since the council failed to act on a succession of thefts from the copper roof in 2012 and the Nettlefold complex was forced to close. Prior to that date the library was the third most used in the borough, even though unlike Brixton and Streatham it had never been open for 7 days a week.

That said it is extremely important that our libraries are not set against one another. United we can defeat these derisory proposals, if we all split and look after our own patch we will have no chance

REPLY: Thank you for your comments. The phrase ‘Divide and rule’ did enter my head when I was writing the piece based on Donna Wiggins report.

What the story – UPPER NORWOOD OR WEST NORWOOD AS A TOWN CENTRE LIBRARY? – HOW LAMBETH HAVE ‘COOKED THE BOOKS’ – says is: “The report ‘cooks the books’ in justifying its decision to have West Norwood as one of the five town centre libraries – rather than Upper Norwood.”

Needless to say, there is no mention in the Wiggins report of West Norwood being in its former home opposite the Nettlefold – or why.

Like you, I don’t want to see one site lose out at the expense of the other, I want all libraries to survive and remain open.

Like you, I agree the proposals are ludicrous. (And that’s putting it politely).

I wasn’t suggesting that West Norwood does not deserve its share of investment. It just shows how stupid Lambeth’s approach to all this nonsense has been, and is.

Having had a chance to read the other reports to next Monday’s cabinet it now transpires that Carnegie, Minet and Tate South will be CLOSED for about nine months while they are turned into glorified gyms (aka healthy living centres) at a cost of ONE MILLION POUNDS EACH. Greenwich Leisure will then be running them on a 25-year peppercorn rent with a break clause in 2022. – Editor.

PLEASE NOTE: NEXT MONDAY’S LAMBETH CABINET MEETING

has been moved to Dunraven school, 94-98 Leigham Court Road at 6.30pm.