NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE GREEN PARTY IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT

6 Jan 2011

Brent Fightback:BRENT COUNCIL LIBRARIES TRANSFORMATION PROJECT

Attached and pasted below is a list of the remaining meetings in Brent Council's consultation process on their proposals for closing half of the Borough's libraries. this evening's public meeting is especially important. There will be people there from the individual library campaigns. We have contact details for Cricklewood: Eric Pollock (Chairman of the Friends of Cricklewood Library) either by email on eric.pollock@tiscali.co.uk or by telephone on 020 8452 4072 and Kensal Rise: Phil O'Shea philoshea10@hotmail.com

The Save Kensal Rise Library facebook group is at:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_132980853422017&ap=1
There is a national campaign to defend libraries, the Campaign for the Book, supported by a number of authors, teachers, librarians and people who love books and appreciate libraries. It spreads news about campaigns and attached is a document suggesting co-ordinated action on February 5th.

Brent Fightback supports keeping ALL our libraries open. Once closed, they are gone for ever. We hope that, while pursuing their local campaigns, the libraries campaigners will unite and will become part of our broader campaign to defend jobs, services, pensions, benefits and the environment.

BRENT COUNCIL LIBRARIES TRANSFORMATION PROJECT

Consultation on proposals to close six of Brent’s twelve libraries and transform the remainder into “community hubs”

Dates of forthcoming meetings & open days

Thursday 6th January 6.30 pm PUBLIC MEETING BRENT TOWN HALL

Wednesday 12th January OPEN DAY 10.30 am – 1.00 pm & 2.30 – 5.00 pm WILLESDEN GREEN LIBRARY CENTRE

LOCAL AREA FORUMS

Tuesday January 11th 7.00 pm HARLESDEN ALL SOULS CHURCH

Wednesday 12th January 7.00 pm KILBURN & KENSAL RISE QUEENS PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Tuesday 18th January 7.00 pm WEMBLEY AREA PATIDAR HOUSE

Wednesday 19th January 7.00 pm WILLESDEN AREA COLLEGE OF NW LONDON, DUDDEN HILL LANE

Wednesday 9th February 7.00 pm KINGSBURY & KENTON AREA KINGSBURY HIGH SCHOOL

Consultation documents and a questionnaire are available on the website www.brent.gov.uk/consultation


Cllr Ann John, the Labour leader of Brent Council has announced that she and Cllr Mohammed Butt, the deputy leader will be attending the local area forums listed above to "discuss" the cuts in general as well as the proposals for the libaries. It is important that Brent Fightback has a good presence at these meetings and that we

5 Jan 2011

BRENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE: Environmental Writers Project

BRENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

Environmental Writers Project – Amended in Consultation with Brent Library Service. Speakers have agreed but dates need to be confirmed

This project involves a series of monthly readers’ meetings with environmental writers talking about their books, presented as a joint project by Brent Campaign against Climate Change and Brent Library Service. We would also hope to involve the Willesden Bookshop (not yet contacted).

The meetings will consist of a single writer giving a presentation of their book, possibly reading extracts, followed by Q&A and discussion. Anticipated numbers –
15 – 20. We would hope to give enough notice to enable readers to read the books before the meeting. The Library Service will publicise the series in advance.

“Books” may include pamphlets, reports or other documents, be fiction or non-fiction, and represent a range of political views and cultural backgrounds. Writers proposed for the first series of meetings from April 2011:

SATURDAY 9 APRIL 2.00pm – “FAMILY DAY” LAUNCH – Saci Lloyd – Carbon Diaries 2017 (confirmed)

MONDAY 9 MAY 7.30pm – Andrew Simms – Ecological Debt: Global Warming and the Wealth of Nations (date to be confirmed)

MONDAY 6 JUNE 7.30pm – Jonathan Neale – Stop Global Warming: Change the World (date to be confirmed)

MONDAY 4 JULY 7.30pm – Derek Wall – No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics
(date be confirmed)
MONDAY 1 AUGUST 7.30pm – Alexis Rowell – Communities, Councils and a Low Carbon Future (date to be confirmed).
Brent Libraries have agreed to jointly promote the meetings, hold them free of charge in the lending area of Willesden Green Library, make copies of the books available and arrange publicity in the Brent Magazine and other Brent channels.

If the first series is successful we would hope to organise further meetings.

Ken Montague
Secretary BCACC
kenmontague@msn.com

15 Dec 2010

Free Green Party Membership for Under 30s

In a completely unprecedented offer, the Green Party is offering free membership for all people under the age of 30 or in full-time education. The offer is available until 31st December 2010. No subscription will need to be paid for the coming year, thereby foregoing the normal rate of £5 for joining students.

In the aftermath of the tuition fees vote, the Green Party are the only parliamentary party who believe in a policy of universal free education.

Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas, said on the matter:

“I want students and young people to know there is a political party that still cares about their future, and that will keep fighting for a fairer future and will not give up on doing the right thing.”