Crystal Palace Local

AROUND 200 people have backed a call to keep Upper Norwood joint library going at a public meeting - overwhelmingly backing a motion for the library 'to be placed on a firm financial footing for the foreseeable future'.

The meeting comes amid revelations that Croydon's cabinet member for culture Cllr Sara Bashford knew IN ADVANCE that Lambeth councillors would not be attending the abandoned annual meeting of Upper Norwood library joint committee due to have been held on September 15th.

Her Lambeth counterpart Cllr Florence Nosegbe has confirmed she spoke to Cllr Bashford on the day of the annual meeting and told her Lambeth's representatives would not be attending the meeting in the library on Westow Hill.

"We didn't want a re-run of the 2010 meeting and we wouldn't be attending" Cllr Nosegbe, Lambeth's cabinet member for culture, sport and the 2012 Olympics, told me as she left last night's meeting to attend another.

The 2010 annual meeting ended in chaos when four Croydon councillors - none of them local - tried to sandbag their way onto the committee in what Lambeth see as a direct contravention of the joint agreement under which Lambeth and Croydon run the library - and Croydon don't.

This year Croydon again decided to put four cabinet members - none of them local - on the committee.

At the meeting in the library Cllr Bashford told more than 60 people who had turned up they would wait ten minutes for the four Lambeth councillors.

Lambeth's non-attendance led to Croydon deciding to take control of the library on Friday October 21st and telling Lambeth they were revoking the joint agreement.
Last night's meeting heard: *Cllr Nosegbe reveal that a meeting arranged behind-the-scenes with two of Lambeth's directors was cancelled when Croydon pulled out.

*Former library committee chairman Graham Pycock reveal that an (unnamed) cabinet member in an unidentified borough "deliberately sabotaged" meetings between Lambeth and Croydon that were booked during his year as chairman.
Cllr Nosegbe told the meeting in the Salvation Army centre in Westow Street:

"They are playing games and playing tricks behind closed doors". Revealing she had had discussions with Cllr Bashford in September she said "Both parties have to come to the table. "We want to make sure we actually discuss this with Croydon councillors.

"Our reason for not attending this year's annual meeting was Croydon's breach for not putting local councillors onto the committee."

Recalling the 2010 annual library committee meeting held in the same hall as last night's meeting Cllr Nosegbe said: "We saw the passion and anger in this room. "We felt they hadn't put forward the rightful representatives which is why we didn't attend. "We maintain they are still in breach of the joint agreement."

Cllr Nosegbe said she had "quite a good relationship" with Cllr Bashford. "To get the letter on October 20th was a real shock to us. "Croydon's actions do not demonstrate equal partners on the joint committee".

The three demands made in a second letter were "totally unacceptable and we are going to seek to take legal advice and discuss this with Croydon round the table." Answering questions from the floor she said she was very keen not to take the legal route. "It's going to be very expensive for both councils - but if Croydon continue that's the only option we can take."

Cllr Nosegbe, who represents Brixton Hill ward, said it was "only right" local councillors sat on the committee. "We feel Croydon are in breach by not letting local ward councillors on the committee".

The meeting - held on the 75th anniversary of the night the Crystal Palace burnt down - was organised by the Crystal Palace Community Association.

CPCA chairman John Payne, recalling the day Croydon announced their decision to take control of the library, said:: "They sent NINE council officers to the library who were taking interim management control. "It frightened the life out of the staff when these people turned up. "They conducted health and safety checks, human resources checks, industrial resources checks."This is a library. "It's not Croydon's. "It's not Lambeth's. It's jointly owned.

"What Croydon council leader Cllr Mike Fisher is saying is 'We've got an agreement but we don't have to take any notice of it." Mr Payne repeated his allegation that Croydon knew Lambeth councillors would not be attending the annual meeting of the library committee.

"Various Croydon representatives said Lambeth's had not turned up and they would 'give them 15 miniuutes' "The whole thing was somewhat contrived. "Florence will confirm she had spoken to her counterpart in Croydon and informed her they would not be attending. "We twiddled our thumbs while they played their games." Cllr Nosegbe did not respond to this comment and was not asked about it in the meeting.

The meeting appeared to be dismissive of plans for an alternative library committee. Lambeth resident James Lightfoot said: "Before we start talking about alternative committees and what their role should be we should be forcing Croydon's hand to put this cash in."

He said there was a danger that forming a committee which had Lambeth councillors on it would just have Croydon affirming the end of the contract. He understood where those supporting the idea of a committee were coming from,

"But I'm very concerned Lambeth take a decision not to turn up at that meeting and similarly Croydon have taken a confrontational position.

"As a litigator courts expect parties to a dispute to negotiate. "If one party proves the other has not negotiated, that party will be liable for costs. "We've had 18 months of impasse - we have to sue Croydon for breach of contract" added Mr Lightfoot.
The meeting backed a motion initially introduced by local campaigner Ken Lewington which "called upon Croydon and Lambeth to meet to discuss and resolve funding issues so the library is placed on a firm financial footing for the foresseable future.".

The meeting was to take place before December 31st and the result of that meeting made immediately public with the status quo of the library maintained.
Resident Andy Thomas said: "What we're not talking about is Croydon's lack of funding. "It's crucial to the whole question"

Cllr Maggie Mansell, Labour opposition spokesman for culture and sport on Croydon council, said that earlier this year Croydon had proposed shutting six of the borough's 13 libraries. A massive reaction across Croydon, supported by Labour, had stopped Croydon closing the libraries.
"We've got to work on that model. "All the letters you can send in, address them to council leader Mike Fisher and the chief executive Jon Rouse" said Cllr Mansell (Norbury).

"The actual dynamic is coming from Mike Fisher. "I think Sara Bashford has little say in the process. "They are going to be in serious legal trouble if they close the library without the 12-month notice. "I will be seeing Sara Bashford tomorrow (Thursday) and the chief executive on Friday.

"I can go from this meeting saying there is a massive upsurge of support for the library which will not go away. "One of the things I want to say to them is 'Let's meet round the table' "Croydon's only motive is to save money. "Croydon council doesn't want to run anything (laughter) and whatever services they provide they want someone else to run it at the cheapest possible cost."

EX-CHAIRMAN SLAMS "HOSTILE OFFICERS" IN BOTH CROYDON AND LAMBETH

Giving an insight into the workings of councils and committees former library joint committee chairman Graham Pycock explained the library joint committee was a sub-committee of both cabinets of Lambeth and Croydon. Cabinet meetings were held in secret and then held in public to discuss what those cabinets had already decided.

"The budget was set by the cabinets, who are advised by the officers. "Not many people realise how hostile officers in both Lambeth and Croydon have been - year in, year out. "It's one of the major explanations why funding for this library has fallen behind the mainstream libraries in both boroughs. "They are centralised, powerful bureaucracies.

"There's huge professional resentment about this library at it's independence and that has been a problem all along. "So our committee were given a budget less than that of other libraries. "When I became chair (of the library joint committee) I argued there had to be a better way forward. "Over my year as chair I suggested a way forward. "In February 2007 I said the library may turn out to be a leading edge example of devolution.

"I was arguing for a meeting between both councils. "That never took place. "One cabinet member deliberately sabotaged meetings that were booked.

"In October 2007 I said UNJL was ideally placed to provide a model for a community-based library and that taking account of current difficulties a fresh start would benefit UNJL. "Now (in 2011) there's a national consensues about moving towards devolution with a national document 'Future libraries: Change, options and how to get there' which sets out four options. "The fourth is 'empowering communities to do things their own way'. "I rather like the sound of that.

"We've ended up with political disputes about a gem of a library. "Croydon's and Lambeth's libraries are among the most expensive in the country. "Why aren't they protecting this library as a model for all the rest?

"All these authorities have middle management; senior management; report writing et cetera - none of which is needed by libraries. "Cuts of nine per cent can be made without any reduction in any library in either borough."

Later he told the meeting: "If we're going to have a campaign lets have something to campaign for". In a massive sideswipe at the Upper Norwood Library Campaign he said: "We have to have a positive position that everybody can sign up to and not just a negative campaign which over a number of years has achieved precisely nothing."

NEW CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Opening the meeting Mandy Scibberas, chairman of the newly-formed Gipsy Hill Residents Association, said they were looking for volunteers to form a new Upper Norwood Library Campaign committee which needed re-invigorating. An auction in aid of the Campaign would be held in the Grape and Grain pub at the top of Anerley Hill on December 13th - but items for the auction have to be in the pub by December 6th

Picture Palace Campaign chairman Annabel Sidney said: "We should be forming a strong, united library campaign and taking that fight to Lambeth and Croydon. "As soon as Lambeth and Croydon get round the table we need some quiet diplomacy and a community voice".

Deirdre Mahon, secretary of Gipsy Hill Residents Association, emphaising the campaign was to support the library , said: "Even if you're just leafletting your street - every little helps."

LIBRARY BUDGET FACES £30,000 CUT BY LAMBETH

The current Lambeth budget proposal by Lambeth for the joint library would see Lambeth's funding cut by £30,000. Cllr Nosegbe stressed this was still only a proposal. She agreed the model for Upper Norwood would work very well for other libraries but that could not be done overnight.

OTHER POINTS FROM THE MEETING:

Volunteers: Cllr Nosegbe said they were against having volunteers run libraries. "It has to be a mixture of paid staff and volunteers" she said.

LSSI: From the top table CPCA member Mark Gilmartin said companies interested in privatising and running Croydon's libraries at half the cost - similar to that of Upper Norwood - had pulled out of tendering for them. These included LSSI, an American company linked with taking over Croydon's libraries which had pulled out of talks
John Payne, chairman of the CPCA, said the loss of the library would also mean a community deficit. "Once it's lost, it's lost for ever. "It will affect footfall in the area which in turn will affect other businesses, restaurants and cafes."

Cllr Pat Ryan (Lab. Upper Norweood) who told the meeting he would be raising the library issue at next Monday's full Croydon council meeting (December 6th) said staff could get 90-day notices on January 1st. To applause he added said: "We cannot forget the staff of the library - they have been superb".

Joe Figuero, library campaign chairman, asked for people to express their appreciation for the library staff - which brought the biggest round of applause of the night "It's not acceptable people who work very hard for us are abused." he said.

Apologies for absence were received from Lambeth council leader Steve Reed who said he had asked his legal team to look at invoking a disputes procedure over the library issue; Dulwich and West Norwood MP Tessa Jowell; Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks, who is battling cancer; and GLA member Val Shawcross. Later in the meeting resident Charles Whiteing asked why Tessa Jowell was not present. CPCA committee member Mike Warwick, sitting on the top table, said: "She lives in Camden".

UPDATE

A Response by Simon Bashford (4th December 2011)

SIMON BASHFORD'S RESPONSE: Asked for a response to Cllr Nosegbe's comment Cllr Bashford said: "As you are aware I was not at the meeting, so I do not know exactly what Cllr Nosegbe said. "However, for clarity I did speak to her on the day of the AGM, around midday. "She told me that her colleagues were considering not attending the meeting. "This was neither an apology or confirmation that she as lead member would not be attending.

"In any case I am not the convener of the meeting and therefore formal apologies should have been given to the correct person, once a decision not to attend was made. "I hope this confirms the situation."