Forum Topic

New Book Donations to Brentford Library are being refused WHY???

I pop into our Library at least twice a month, being an avid reader I also buy lot's of book's which only I read, noticing that the shelves at Brentford were grossly understocked I asked the Librarian if they would like 50 New Book's all costing 6.99 each to which the reply was that they were no longer permitted to accept Book DonationsI replied that the shelves were becoming lesser on each visit, poor love was greatly embarrassed which got me thinking, I have noticed an awful lot of work going on at Isleworth Library does this mean that Labour Council are thinking of closing our library if so they need to remember that our library was donated by Mr Carnegie early 20th centruy to the PEOPLE of Brentford not to anyone Council and that we the residents of Brentford would not take kindly to them closing something to which they have no right to consider. We are always hearing from Hounslow Council that there is a deficit in monies well then by accepting donations of new books would help  save a great deal of money. I have already noticed a 70p fee for the ordering of a book for an adult also 40p for a child's book to be ordered.

Dawn Hardy ● 5434d106 Comments

Jessica,As you can see, this has been going on for quite a while.

Dawn Hardy ● 5311d

John,Many,many thanks for a concise synopsis, I have run it off and will cogitate over it also look up the web sites that you have mentioned.Have a good evening.Dawn

Dawn Hardy ● 5376d

Dawn unless you've been asleep for sometime, you may have failed to notice that we have - in the Tory party - the biggest believers in outsourcing as many public services as it is possible to get away with to the private sector. This is what some Tory councils are doing with their entire services, not content with selling off much of the 'family silver', the stupid plonkers in the ConDem Government now have their sights set on flogging off the Forestry Commission. No doubt their developer mates will be rubbing their hands with glee at that news. Privatisation is a disgrace, it puts people out of work and is only concerned with profit not people.

Vanessa Smith ● 5376d

Phil,Their is no such thing as better's,I am no better than anyone person nor is anyone person better than myself.However I do agree that we had over the last 13 year's been indoctrinated to believe that we were second class individuals and that if we did speak our minds we would be considered either Racial,Discrimnatory or Homophobic all of these Law's were brought in by the Labour Government and Brussel's which made it impossible to criticise without being labelled as one of the aformentioned. As it stand's Criminal's have more right's than the Victim, I am pleased to have seen that animal Alcock has been sentenced to a minimum of 21 year's for abusing and murdering his girlfriend's 18 month old daughter, the coalition would seem to be working.Prison's should be a punishment not a 5 star hotel this is no deterrent, you should automatically give up your right's after being sentenced for horrifice crimes.(Harold Nicholson)Any Politician who does wrong really should not expect softly softly treatment, there is nothing worse then people who have been elected by the people to work for the greater good of the people only for the people to end up being bitterly disappointed.

Dawn Hardy ● 5377d

Dawn,  You pose a number of questions. I'll try and answer them  as best as I canLeisure. By way of background reading you may want to read the LBH Overview And Scrutiny report on this provision.Our previous provider CIP was struggling financially because of pre 2006 budget cuts.The new coalition in 2006/7 received advice that it would take about 12m to bring our Libraries and Leisure Centres up to standard. The funding allocated to these entities was materialy increased with savings made by the PIP process The appointment of Continental, Laings and other contractors after a rigourous procurement process did in my view achieve a number of real benefits. Amongst other things many libraries and leisure centres have been refurbished. Others like my local in Chiswick are due for a make - over shortly.Most CIP staff employed in libraries/parks etc transferred to the respective contractors under TUPE legislation.Some welcomed the improvements made to our parks. My local swimming pool the small chiswick pool was recently described as a first class improvement. I agree.As Chair of the Performance and Finanance Overview and Scrutiny Panel I recently asked  questions on the performance of our reycling team/contractor at the Executive. I can give you the reference if you wish. We endeavour to challenge when appropriate.My understanding of the West London Waste arrangement is by workng in partnership with our local councils economies of scale can be achieved. Partnership arrangements are in operation in other areas too. The audit Commission endorses this approach.LBH Overview Scrutiny Committee and respective panels  carry out rigourous reviews and have Directors attend are asked to justify and explain. Again you might wish to monitor their work.It's all available on line. They are public meetings but are poorly attended.You are correct when you mention LBH having 60 Councillors. There are 20 Wards. I and  my two colleagues represent the interests of 9000 residents and contribute in differing ways to the efficient and effective running  oversight and governance of LBH. Audit, Pension Fund Investment, Grants monitoring, Planning, Child Care etc are areas we all collectively deal with.

John Todd ● 5377d

There are times when I don't believe I see somethings - hustings is a word that has been in common usage relating to election meetings for donkey's years. It is a word used on the TV during election periods and in the press. I don't acutally think it is up to any council, party, or whatever to provide a translation service. Sometimes you need to educate yourself, it's not a secret after all.

Vanessa Smith ● 5377d

DawnThere is nowt wrong with being a radical.  Our local community has been conditioned for years into a state of timidity and subservience and only recently have residents' leaders been encouraged to challenge, to question, even (horror of horrors) to disagree with their self-appointed betters from time to time.  Your thoughts and contributions follow in that fine tradition.It's just that I keep recalling the words of the National Labour MP Harold Nicolson, who pointed out that the English are "always most impressed by those who take off their boots before kicking below the belt".

Phil Andrews ● 5378d

Mr Todd,Many thanks for a concise explaination of expenditure, may I ask why?? these services were outsourced in the first place,our Libraries, Leisure Centres and Waste Disposal, these department's used to be run by the Council employing many resident's, there really is'nt a lot of information to be had however as we the resident's pay for these services via our council tax and it is we who employ councillor's(you no longer give your services for free you have a stipend plus expenses(generalizing) it would be  enlightening also helpful to understand why this initative was taken in the first instance particularly without the communities knowledge.The 14.7 Million that you quoted for both the libraries(Laing)the leisure centres(Fusion) is this a yearly expenditure, if so who does the maintenance if perhaps it is a subsidary of Laing's then are the council assured that we are getting the best value for money. We as a community have been locked in for a period of 25 years with this yearly cost going up not decreasing and not one of our councillor's are prepared to tell us why??? the most important factor is how many council employees lost there jobs over this outsourcing.I realise that Mr Andrew's consider's me a radical  because I have the temerity to ask for answer's to the questions that I consider important to not only myself but the rest of our community, it is our right to be informed.It surprised me greatly that we the community employ 60 Councillor's with all of this outsourcing I ask myself is it really necassary.

Dawn Hardy ● 5378d

Robin...I have to say that I've (almost but not quite) only had good experiences with policemen,we may moan a bit if we get pulled for speeding (touch wood I haven't) but over all they're pretty good.If Manchester is any thing to go by,we're about to find out what life without them is like,personally I shudder to think!   I do have reservations about the Masonic links with the police,but then my neighbour is both a Mason and an ex Chief Detective Inspector (I may have that wrong) and you couldn't meet a nicer bloke. He does tireless work for the local hospice, driving patients here there and everywhere. so I guess there not all bad.  Isn't what you're saying a bit like me saying "All black people are evil"? I wouldn't dream of doing so,it's just an analogy.Enough from me...

Tony Wood ● 5378d

Goodness, another ICG person involved in LBH Watch?Anyone would have thought it's another front group (perish the thought).

Robin Taylor ● 5378d

"Thankyou for the reply John,though quite why you are being so formal I'm not sure....I'm Tony not Mr.,it's a forum for goodness sake."Tony - It's easily explained: John Todd is a former policeman.

Robin Taylor ● 5378d

Thankyou for the reply John,though quite why you are being so formal I'm not sure....I'm Tony not Mr.,it's a forum for goodness sake.Like yourself I will take some time to find a valid answer/question,I'm really struggling with the "auditorese" used in the Yearly Accounts,it's not rivetting reading I must say.  Someone (maybe you) should explain to the auditors that using the column heading "£000" means multiply the figures below by one thousand,all the way through the report they've got it wrong frequently taking sums into billions,I reckon they get paid enough to get that right,it's not rocket surgery.

Tony Wood ● 5379d

There'll be another LBH Watch Meeting on November 29th.Apologies for the delay- I have been battling with divorce and a once-in-a-lifetime house move, and David P has had to arrange his garden crossoverb among other things.

Ian Speed ● 5379d

Dear Mr Wood, The “Third Party Payments” is a standard CIPFA description for payments for the cost of services run on behalf of the Council by outside contractors or other organisations. Examples include the payments we make to West Waste for Waste Disposal and to Fusion and Laing for running our Leisure Services. It does not include the payments made to KPMG for the PIP. In earlier sets of accounts these costs were lumped together with ordinary purchases of supplies and services under “Other Running Costs” They have tended to increase as more services are outsourced (for example waste collection) and are now shown as a separate category in their own right. Of course, when services are outsourced, the increase in “third party payments” is offset by reductions in staffing and other direct costs and is one of the reasons why the proportion of staff costs has reduced. Major sums involved included in 2009-10 were: - ·        Social Services Care Providers £45.9m ·        Leisure Services £14.7m ·        Voluntary & Special Schools £7.8m ·        West Waste £7.0m ·        Supporting People Agency Payments £5.8m ·        Revenues & Benefits Administration £5.2m  I do hope this fully answers your query.  Kind regards  John

John Todd ● 5379d

DawnI was responding to Vanessa, hence my referring to you in the third person.And Vanessa, in case you wondered I am referring to you in the third person now because I am speaking to Dawn.Strewth!

Phil Andrews ● 5380d

I wish that you would not discuss me as the third person, if it's appertain's to me then bring me in please.

Dawn Hardy ● 5380d

I can find out.  Will get back to you.

Phil Andrews ● 5380d

Do you happen to know the date.

Dawn Hardy ● 5380d

Consultant's are an expense that we can ill afford, staff review's were used to be processed via manager's.A consultant receives an exhorbitant fee, whilst we have to cut back greatly is this fair or cost effective NO! of course not. It seem's to me that Council Management need a Time & Motion Study on themselves to ensure us that we are getting value for money. Let's remember money saved on Consultant's mean's that we as a community could save our local police from redundancy.

Dawn Hardy ● 5380d

Correct.  And I would be happy to help Dawn through the process should she require me to.There is also the Freedom of Information act, of course, although there are certain exemptions incorporated within it.

Phil Andrews ● 5380d

Councils open their books once a year for inspection after auditing as far as I am aware.

Vanessa Smith ● 5380d

"I had no idea that you had been elected onto the LBH Watch Commitee the election of the commitee must have happened after my 15 minute sojourn."??"The idiom that I used obviously need's explaining, when being told by the 'Chair' that once their web site was up and running we would all have to be careful of our criticism of the Council otherwise they may not speak to the LBH Watch. I came to the conclusion rightly or wrongly whichever you choose that the Watch would be inefectual therefore the Council will do business with them because they will know that criticism will not be forth coming!!! that is not good for our community."I don't personally recall this comment but I imagine what was meant was that we should be temperate in our language and the way in which we communicate with people.  I cannot see how the community will be disadvantaged by us doing this.You can be assured that criticism of the local authority will be forthcoming from LBH Watch when it is warranted.  If that were not the case there would be very little point to the group's existence.  I have to say Dawn I am still at a loss to understand why you seem to take the view that a number of already busy people would have come together to form a group called 'LBH Watch' that did not intend to criticise nor comment upon the actions of LBH.  That is just plain daft.

Phil Andrews ● 5380d

"Phil, I had no idea that you had been elected onto the LBH Watch Commitee..."Has he?What an amazing surprise.

Robin Taylor ● 5380d

Is it payment to consultants?. When staffing costs go down the use of consultants go up. I presume it includes the consultants brought in to do the staff review.

Neil Chippendale ● 5380d

Tony, I readily accept the challenge and will come back to you-promise.Hazel, As one of 60 elected Cllrs. I believe that our duty, amongst other things is to act in the best interests of our constituents. Any queries you have should in the first instant be directed to them. We all have (or I have) a heavy local caseload which is part of the job.

John Todd ● 5380d

Phil,I had no idea that you had been elected onto the LBH Watch Commitee the election of the commitee must have happened after my 15 minute sojourn.The idiom that I used obviously need's explaining, when being told by the "Chair" that once their web site was up and running we would all have to be careful of our criticism of the Council otherwise they may not speak to the LBH Watch. I came to the conclusion rightly or wrongly whichever you choose that the Watch would be inefectual therefore the Council will do business with them because they will know that criticism will not be forth coming!!! that is not good for our community.

Dawn Hardy ● 5381d

Perhap's it is the Libraries also the Leisure Centre's obviously like yourself I have no proof purely conjecture, we should by right be allowed to inspect the Council Ledger's they do after all belong to the Community.

Dawn Hardy ● 5381d

I'm having a quiet Sunday (until the Formula 1 starts).I've just been looking through LB Hounslows old accounts (I said it was quiet!)  In the last year of Labours previous rule 50% of the councils out goings went on staff costs,in 2009/10 (Conservative coalition) that's reduced to 39%. I presume that's down to staffing cuts,I'm not sure that's as good as it looks...now it seems that Central Government will impose further cuts in staffing from an already reduced level.Surely that is more disadvantagious to councils that have been Tory controlled and presumably pre-cut?   Anyway that's not the question,what is however ...is that during the Conservative coalition,a new category of expenditure appears in the accounts,that of "Payments to third Parties", it's a whopping 18-19% of total expenditure. That all seems extremely vague to me and I'd like that clarified,surely that can't be KPMG slice of the cake?Any takers...John Todd or LBH Watch for instance?

Tony Wood ● 5381d

DawnLBH Watch could not give you answers as to why the council does these things - that's information we would like too, and it is information we intend to get out of them whatever it takes.Like I say, I think it was the wrong meeting for the issues you wanted to raise as it seems you wanted quick answers and we were the wrong people to give them to you.  If I did or said anything at all to give you the impression prior to the meeting that council officers would be present to explain the rationale behind Laing or anything else then I apologise to you, because this was never going to be the case.I hope Dawn that when reflecting upon your comments about LBH Watch being in the local authority's pockets you will agree that this was rather a silly statement to make.  Speaking for myself if, having served as a community councillor for twelve years and having endured all the obstruction and all the hate that I have, I am in these people's pockets then they have a singularly weird way of showing their gratitude.

Phil Andrews ● 5381d

Phil,The gentleman that you made reference to is called Ed and whilst at the Legion he came downstairs and asked for my phone number to ask for my advice. It would seem that an injustice has been done to this Mentally Deficient young woman, she has had a bus pass for many year's and then it was taken off of her by the council because it was deemed by whoever was dealing with her case that miracuously her mental capabilities had increased sufficiently that she no longer needed her bus pass if this had been the case when they wrote to her she would have been able to understand, Ed found her crying and saw the letter on her behalf he contacted the Council Dept and was told that they had been informed by her Doctor that her IQ was above her supposed. I advised him that this could not be true because not only of the Confidentiality but Data Protection the Doctor could not give out that kind of information, duly confronted the Doctor told him that he had not done this and that he could not have rated her IQ anyway it would have to have been done by a Psychological Unit at the Hospital. Why??? was this young ladies bus pass taken from her and why? lie about the reason when drunks and drug users are given these passes because they are deemed disabled they get a disability living allowance. It seems ar*e upwards to me. However let's not forget that they like me went to the Legion believing that (I) would get answers and Ed and his young friend would get help, it would seem that all were disappointed.

Dawn Hardy ● 5382d

DawnAll organisations have to begin somewhere and ICG Watch, like any other group, needs to elect officers and a committee.  We don't have a website either, at present, which is why we spent a little time discussing the matter of setting one up.  Every organisation that I'm aware of will have gone through a similar process at some stage in its existence.  Like them, we need to begin at the beginning.I am certainly not suggesting that you are an ignoramous, please point me to where I have said this and I will apologise.  What I did say is that you were clearly expecting the meeting to take a different format to that which it did in fact take.  No shame in this on anyone's part, I'm simply saying that we followed the agenda of the meeting.Surely you must recognise that a group of people from acorss the borough who are already quite busy would not give up their time to attend, indeed to organise meetings just so that they could avoid criticising the local authority, when it is the local authority that is the very object of their attention?  That just doesn't make any sense.  What I am saying is that there are ways and means of going about these things.It is also incorrect to say that LBH Watch only focuses on planning.  It has made the conscious decision to begin by focusing mostly on planning, because that is where most of the problems seem to lie.  But if you'd hung around until the end of the meeting you would have heard us discuss an issue raised by a resident on the subject of concessionary bus passes.  LBH Watch will take up any issue on behalf of residents, including Laing, but most agendas have an order of business and meetings which become a free-for-all in my experience usually end up getting nothing worthwhile done.My reference to political persuasion was in response to comments made in your previous posting, not to anything that was said at the meeting.I agree with your last paragraph entirely.

Phil Andrews ● 5382d

Phil,Whilst I appreciate your response, please keep to the fact's, I did not shout my head off, I did indeed say I was disappointed because I did expect LBH Watch to have been up and running and councillor's present, the impression that I was given was that we would be discussing Liang about our Libraries(which were given away without the Communities permission at a ridiculous cost to us) by both ICG and the Tories that really was a great disappointment to me I expected a lot more of both parties, quite frankly I do not blame just the Labour Councillor's all Councillor's whatever representation that they are, should once elected be A-Political and give there utmost for the good of the community not have an easy ride of it.You say that you do not recognise the "alleged" my dear man one thing that you should be aware of is that I do not lie neither do I distort the truth or fact's(shame on you)You give the impression that LBH Watch is in fact up and running and that they have been heads on with the Council in the past,this was not the impression that either myself or my husband received, the 15 minutes that I was there the discussion was about who wanted to be on the committee.The statement that you made would give one the idea that LBH Watch was already up and running? are you seriously saying that the Chairman did not say that we must be careful in our criticism of the council otherwise they would not speak to us HAND ON YOUR HEART!!!You are suggesting that I am an ignoramus because I have the temerity to ask pertinent questions and expect a truthful answer, I should have been less trusting in the previous council, fool me once that's the only chance you get!!! Our Libraries and Leisure Centres Fiasco will cost all of us dearly for the next 25 year's how any of you Councillor's(WHATEVER PARTY)could be so stupid as to hand them over just like that is unbelievable.Phil there were 10 to 15 people in that meeting excluding Dee and myself and they came from different council house association's from Heston,Cranford etc, as far as I am aware political persuasion was not mentioned where??? are you coming from although you do, do a good script.It's a pity that transparency was not the byword in the previous administration. I do not table thump however I am quite adamant about what I consider is wrong for my community.I really do not care which party any councillor represent's, however once they have been elected to our council they should automatically work together for the good of our community not utalize the office of councillor to score point's off of one and other's political party.

Dawn Hardy ● 5382d

DawnIt was good to see you at the Legion and I am sorry to hear that you have been suffering with bronchitis - I do hope the two events were unconnected.  I am pleased that you would appear to have overcome the condition and are fighting fit once again.Your disappointment at the nature of the meeting was obvious Dawn but with respect I do think the misunderstanding was yours.  You told the meeting that you had come to "have a go" and expressed your disappointment that there were no council officers present, but I don't that anybody had ever suggested to you there would be.  It was a meeting of LBH Watch, and council officers do not attend although we have had a couple of councillors come along on a previous occasion and others have indicated that they may do in the future.I do not recognise the alleged instructions about LBH Watch not being permitted to "criticise" or "antagonise" the council.  I can assure you that when required we have done both and the reaction towards LBH Watch by some Labour and ersatz Labour councillors, past and present, on this forum bears testimony to this.But any criticisms we make must be constructive, intelligently made and, most of all, reasonable.  We could have spent the entire duration of the meeting shouting at one another about the things we believed to be wrong with the local authority, but although this approach may make some feel better it would not have achieved a thing.  The approach preferred by LBH Watch is patient, measured, logicial, organised and clinical and in my view that is entirely the right way to go about things.I also feel it would be inappropriate for a group such as LBH Watch to single out a particular political party for criticism as you seem to suggest we should.  Despite the untypically modest turnout (the list of apologies submitted on this occasion was actually longer than the attendance list) we had people present from all of the major political parties in Hounslow, and I would not be happy for LBH Watch to risk alienating any of those very sincere and useful people by turning what is supposed to be a constructive initiative designed to help introduce some transparency into our local government into some kind of narrow political crusade.  We will inevitably during the course of our work upset those who feel they have a personal or political interest in resisting any move towards greater transparency but I believe it is important that we recognise this to be a cultural battle as opposed to a party political one.One should remember too that many of the problems we face from elements within the Lampton Road bureaucracy have not just arisen during the last six months.  The appalling treatment meted out to Nick Marbrow in labelling him a "vexatious complainant", for instance, came about during the coalition administration, as did a similar attempt to prevent Christine Diwell of The Isleworth Society from contacting the council on behalf of hundreds of local residents whom she represents.  The latter didn't happen solely because the ICG made it clear that we would not tolerate it and would bring the whole matter to a head if it wasn't instantly dropped, but what was perhaps most telling about this whole experience was the preparedness of certain chief officers to challenge the Community Engagement agenda head-on even during the coalition administration.  One cannot blame Labour councillors for this.Dawn, if you prefer a more vigorous approach there will be a new initiative in the New Year which I feel may be more to your taste and I will keep you posted on that one.  But LBH Watch is the wrong vehicle for table-thumping protest and nobody would be helping its cause by trying to push it in that direction.

Phil Andrews ● 5382d

After attending the LBH Watch at the British Legion Isleworth I developed a really awful bout of Bronchitas which has taken forever to overcome. What Phil Andrews forgot to mention was that the LBH Watch is only just in it's inception a commitee had not even been elected,I was exremely disappointed to be told on numerous occassions about "THE CHAIR" attendance was perhaps 10 people, again disappointment to be told that we must not antagonise the Council because they may not speak to us and that we must not be critical on any e-mail of them on any subject, it transpires that they are only interested in planning and not taking the council to task, I'm sure that they will be accommodated by the council because they are already in there pocket's. What's needed is a group who will forever be critical of ludicrous rules that are being imposed upon our community by Labour Councillors behind closed door's. If they have nothing to hide then let us and opposing councillor's in on all council meeting's.

Dawn Hardy ● 5382d

Obviously if there is asbestos,it is a danger and needs to be removed by expert's, however the majority of the roof could be saved, if the pipes are lagged with asbestos than frankly the library will have to be closed and sheeted off also the workmen will have to wear protective clothing and masks, the rubbish will have to be moved immediately also the interior if handled with the care it needs although  I really do not believe Liang(JLIS) will give a damn, all they will see is the pound sign.I can just imagine you men saying what does she know, quite a lot actually my family have been builders for well over 90 years, consequently I have a very real understanding of Labour,Plans,Material also Structural costing, what needs to be replaced and what can be saved with just a little thought and care.Just so you know my job was not in this field but Finance.

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=community&app=forum/ShowMessage.asp?ID=658436&site=5Not sure if this is the same or not.Bear in mind that I have a feeling part of the issue is asbestos. A few years ago before urgent repairs were carried out buckets were catching the water there.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Your a Darling, I will try this.The piece that I did was trying to put accross, that as Brentford Library is a beautiful old building it would be a travesty to allow Liang to strip down the innards when all it needs is a nice new coat of paint, they are also under the impression that we need a new lamp(not true)what is needed is a craftsman who will with tender care bring it back to it's former glory, as for a new roof again not necassary,they will strip off the old slates and replace with horrid modern ones, when we still have slate quarries open and could quite easily replace broken ones, saving all of us an awful lot of money.Many thanks for your help, it's greatly appreciated.Dawn

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

Was this what you were looking for, Dawn?http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=community&app=forum/ShowMessage.asp?ID=658430&site=5 I clicked Forum and found a search engine and I looked for Laing and Laings. I think you also used some initials which would also bring up some of your emails.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Last evening I posted an arguement about Laings expenditure on the Heston & Iselworth Libraries 1.2 Million Pounds also comments about Bedfont,Cranford & Brentford Libraries being over-extended already on Liangs estimate by 380k before refurbishment has even begun, no where on here can I find the article, can you help please.

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

Yes. So glad you agree! The LibDems are too.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Thought so.The SDP were a good party.

Robin Taylor ● 5429d

You may find this website - now closed to further suggestions- interesting to browse http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/Hustings was a term used in C18th at the time of Wilkes' campaigns when there were hustings (election meetings) in the Butts in Brentford. There are some famous Hogarth engravings of this.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Much obliged.

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

Yes. You have a long memory! Now I am Vice Chairman of the Hounslow Liberal Democrats.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

You may be interested in this whole section of the Hounslow Council website http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/council_and_democracy.htmThe list on the left hand side includes Council Meetings. When you click through you'll find agenda etc. 

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Part I will agree upon the other part is that Hustings is a word that I am unused to consequently I would imagine an awful lot of other people are also not aware of what it means,I feel that our Political Parties think that we all have either a Lap Top or Modem when in fact lot of people do not, a pamphlet put through the door would make us aware of "Hustings" going on, perhaps if the old word "meeting" were used it would be understood more and attendance would go up. Also how Councillor's have not questioned costing or estimates is beyond me, to just attend a meeting and vote a yes for work to go ahead at such a cost without voicing an opinion on the proposed expenditure is disgraceful and quite frankly they should feel ashamed. Why the hell did we vote these people in, if they are not prepared to look out for us and just want an easy time then they should move out and let in someone who is willing to do just thatI do know that you are not now or have ever been a councilor, my response and criticism has in no way been pointed toward you,it is a condemnation of councillors who really have no understanding of what could develope into a problem and are easily led. How anyone could have trusted a Conglomerate such as Liang (JLIS)producing a Long Term Contract without the Council Legal Department scrutinizing and questioning it,is quite astonishing. It would seem that perhaps we are in need of new legal representation.

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

"...owing to my dissatisfaction in general with the two larger political parties..."You were the Chairperson of Hounslow SDP weren't you, Hazel?

Robin Taylor ● 5429d

Hazel,Forgive my ignorance, how does one find the Council Meeting Agenda also are they held at the Civic Centre, obviously it is no good my being critical if I do not attend and have first hand knowledge. Also Councillor's must remember that David Cameron has given we the public the choice to rid ourselves of incompetent councilor's and MP's if need be.Many thanks,Dawn

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

I would remind you Dawn that I am not, and never have been, an elected councillor. I have however worked extremely hard - owing to my dissatisfaction in general with the two larger political parties - to try to achieve the election of people whom I think can be trusted to be conscientious representatives. Unfortunately, recently, we were not successful. Too few members of the public bother to turn out to hustings meetings at General and Local Elections or to observe their current representatives in action. The incumbents can safely rely upon the laziness of the general public!

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

On occasions when I have sat in the public gallery to observe occasional Council meetings I have been almost alone. Sometimes there is a reporter from a local paper. The facility is there for all to attend. You would probably be appalled, Dawn, at the playground behaviour of some councillors in some of these meetings.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

I believe the Scrutiny Panel does just that.

Hazel Dakers ● 5429d

Out of curiosity just how long is this contract for and what is the penalty for breaking it.

Dawn Hardy ● 5429d

Hazel,This is precisely what makes me angry, DECISIONS are made for us when we have no idea what has been decided,why?also what the penalties would be if we should negate the contract.Councillors who have been elected should have a training period because it is obvious that they really do not completely understand the implications of there decisions. Why give Carte Blanche to a company that you certainly can have had no experience with, surely a yearly contract and a look at the financial report for that particular fiscal year would give a very good overview of not only present expenditure, where if it had gone over budget investigate and ensure that the cost was bone-fide, also that forthcoming expenditure should be broght into budget forecasts. Just how much will it cost us and who the hell were the idiots to have put us into this situation. The report that I am reading, gives one the impression that the actual councillor's have not read the original contract but because it has been put in front of them by Mr.Jordan-Director of Enviroment then it must be OK, this is not the attitude to take, YOU!!! as elected councillors have a duty to question previous decisions appertaining to the here and now, most importantly future expenditure.If JLIS are already 380k over the estimate of refurbishments on Cranford,Bedfont and Brentford Libraries without lifting a finger, what will the cost be evetually to us all. It would pay us to get a super duper legal eagle to have a look at this contract and save us some money hopefully. The decisions made by Coumcillor's on Friday 6th August 2010 should be rescinded and looked at in depth.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

But would it not be better to utalize what we have in the immediate area of our work place and hopefully not have had to outsource this service, which obviously is costing us way too much money

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

It's rather worrying that your political persuasion effectively stops any of you councillor's doing what is best for the community. If you had all stood up and argued the point you would have won not for yourselves but for the people who elected you, we who gave you our trust thinking that you would all work for each of us.Did you just see that pink cow fly by your window, I think we as residents should all take a far more inside view to council workings from now on, this way we could perhaps close the door before the horse had bolted.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Another pertinant question is why CIP were continually given the Contract when from what Ms.Dakers states they were in trouble far longer than one would have supposed to have left such a mountain of debt behind them. Who ever has the responsiblity for that should have been sacked out of hand. Do LBH never ever request a copy of yearly audit's to substantiate using that particular outsource it would seem that lessons need to be learned also action taken to ensure that this debacle never occurs again.Contracts should be reviewed on a yearly basis to ensure that we get only the most effective cost cutting service that can be provided.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

What should happen,irrespective of which political party you are all representative of is that all councillors who lets not forget are elected by the people to work for the people and without doubt should work together! not put a stop on a project just because it will gain brownie points for you with your associates figuratively speaking. The criteria should be that you can make LBH the very best in the UK and look out for the community as a whole not your individual programmes. Generalizing of course.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Surely CIP were responsible for it's own debt's,why? should we have had to pay them, they obviously made quite a bit of profit to have hung on for so long.All the more reason that our council should ask expert's like yourself for your input into what makes a good cost effective service not bring in outsiders who after all are only interested in their profit margin not what is best for the whole community.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Vat is refundable after all the amount of monies that have to be paid out for services and goods,it would have reduced the balance considerably for LBH. Obviously not thought through.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

John,Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I have run off the report and giving it a cursory look, I have noticed Laings 500K contribution however it would seen that they have elected to lessen their fee for one year, however when you consider that JLIS are doing all the refurbishments of the Libraries also the budget that they have at their disposal,it is just a drop in the ocean. I have looked at paragraph 3.1 whereby LBH have given approval for JLIS to proceed with the design and procurement of refurbishment at Cranford, Bedfont and last Brentford. Before it has begun JLIS have already told LBH that the budget within the estimate is already 380 thousand pounds over the available budget, this is preposterous!!! Brentford Library is a Beautiful Old Building that needs a new paint job inside not pulled to pieces to end up a monstrosity like new libraries which are souless, it does not need a new lamp what is does need is a craftsman to be found who will lovingly bring it back to it's former glory, the roof does not have to be stripped of the original slates, there are still quarries open where replacements can be purchased and broken ones replaced. How long is this contract that JLIS have and a major big WHY cannot we not use local small business's who are finding it difficult in the present economic climate. What does make me wonder is do our councillors have the correct understanding of Building,Electrical,Plumbing,Roofing and Carpentry Trades to enable the best prices to be accepted by tender or is it far more expedient just to outsource, well it should'nt be, concern should be value for money our money.I also noticed that it has cost us up to now 1.2 Million Pound to refurbish Heston & Osterly Libraries, both roofs cost 130 thousand pounds rather exorbitant for flat roofs, this is what our councillors should be doing questioning the cost and trying to make it more cost effective without destroying the original surrounds.You can be sure that once I have absorbed the whole 15 pages I will be making further comments on the waste of our monies, because as it is at the moment if LBH raise our council tax to give Laing a better profit margin I for one will refuse most emphaticaly to pay it. Councillor's you can save money and still have the best!!!

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Both Conservative and Labour governments and local councils have encouraged outsourcing.Very often the profits are in part found from having cheaper, less skilled and qualified staff, and giving them poorer conditions of service. I hope this is not the case with Hounslow Libraries. There is a lengthy contract which would cost Council Tax payers a fortune to undo.Hazel

Hazel Dakers ● 5430d

Your comments against qualifications and for staff learning on the job are good for an employer. If staff want to progress further or move jobs for another reason they need portable proof of those abilities. NVQs assess just the skills you admire on the job.Not having portable proof of transferable skills hinders career progression.Hazel

Hazel Dakers ● 5430d

If it was done in a professional and not time consuming  way, the cost would be negligible and a bonus being that the whole district would feel once again part of our community. It appears to me that any and every expenditure made by LBH is not about getting the best for our money just bureaucracy going to the head of the individual in charge of that area.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Does this mean that through a portion of our Council Tax we pay Laing for the privilege of dismantling our libraries, this seems about face to me, do Laing pay us rent for each library building or do we foot the bill, common sense tells us that Laing make a damn fine profit out of our libraries otherwise they would not be running them, why? can we not get back to basics and once again take over the responsibilty that should never have been outsourced in the first place. With a good team it could be thriving and all to the benefit of our community!

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

Why?Why?does everything have to have a qualification nowaday's. In my younger day's if you were concientious, were eager to learn you were taught, these were the day's of Grammer School's which lot's of kid's did'nt get placed however that did not mean that they were not as clever just that they became aprehensive taking exams. So instead of insisting on these NVQs why can we not take advantage of our staff who have the ability and are eager to go forward, each course and exam cost money something that all of us are finding difficult to find knowaday's.Yes! I do feel sorry for the Grad's on the dole they have studied diligently and gotten into debt for the privilege of a piece of paper that quite frankly in our economic climate mean's nothing, let's not forget that theory does not overtake hands-on, consequently we should both encourage and help staff who are eager and will be a definite asset.  However we digress from the initial and most important point as to why our Libraries were ever farmed out in the first place.

Dawn Hardy ● 5430d

John (Connelly)As I approach my half century with indecent haste my memory isn't what it once was, but I do have a vague recollection of you as being bright, with a fine sardonic sense of humour and an at least rudimentary mastery of the concept of irony.Perhaps somewhere through the mists of time I have gotten you confused with David Hughes?

Phil Andrews ● 5430d

John, you are correct. CIP was originally set up to avoid cutting the library and leisure services in circumstances where the change in management enabled the rates paid on the premises to be saved without loss of council control.The decision to appoint Laing to run the libraries was taken after CIP got into financial problems, and by implication had moved beyond council control. My earlier posting directed at Council Executive members who took the decision to appoint Laing was based on the fact that "ordinary" councillors at the time had no influence on the decision and may not have been fully appraised of all the circumstances.I am gobsmacked that Phil's reply effectively amounted to "Don't blame me Gov. I may have been on the Council Executive and accepted the money for it, but I made no attempt to influence this decision. It was all the Tories' fault!"Whatever happened to "joint enterprise" in English law?

John Connelly ● 5430d

I was I'm afraid wrong. CIP started in 1998 not as I said 1986. CIP was a Social enterprise, Community Initiative Partnerships- one of the first.My understanding was that the fiscal benefit included not having to pay  rates on premises they used.There is a faacinating and detailed report issued by the Audit Commission on Leisure provision where the benefits are explained and compared.

John Todd ● 5431d

My understanding is that CIP was, at the time of its inception, able to apply for grants as a charity not available to local councils. However I also understand that by the time of its demise it left Hounslow Council with massive debts to cover. The original arrangements for governance were at the root of this I believe.Incidentally, Dawn, Cllr Dakers on the scrutiny panel was not me but was my son who is no longer a councillor. My knowledge of libraries comes from a career within them. However I have worked as a consultant to public libraries but never as a member of staff.Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5431d

Cheers John The CIP handover was somewhat later than 1986, would have been late 90s I think. The fiscal advantage John refers to is VAT based,among possibly other similar issues.

Ian Speed ● 5431d

Dear DawnYou've raised a number of matters that I will endevour to respond to.I have to agree with Hazel Dakers regarding the receipt of books.Brentford Library's refurbishment.This is mentioned in a recently published LBH document.  To see the publicly available information, follow the link:http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/ieAgenda.aspx?A=6256Leisure Library Provision LBHIn either 2006 or '07 former Cllrs Dakers and Hardy participated with me and other Cllrs in a Scrutiny  review of the LBH Leisure provision including Libraries.  CIP, a stand - alone  socially orientated trading entity had since I believe in 1986 ( I may be wrong on the exact date) been commissioned by LBH to provide these services since its inception. There were fiscal benefits in this structure. Starved of funding, to put it kindly, CIP struggled to discharge its role.The Coalition PIP scheme released savings which were, and are being used to refurbish both libraries and our Leisure Centres. I recall that the cost of this refurbishment was in the region of £12m plus. Laing and other third party companies were subsequently appointed  to provide the services provided by CIP. Bidders were carefully assessed. I have an interest in Chiswick Library, the second  busiest in LBH.When I checked some time ago the book budget allocation funding of LBH had not been reduced.RegardsJohn

John Todd ● 5431d

There are places in libraries for Chartered Librarians and for Library Assistants with NVQs. Unfortunately staff development via the NVQ route was hindered when Level 4 which had been developed early on, was dropped through lack of take-up - without being given the time for those taking levels 2 and 3 to work through to Level 4 in sufficient numbers. There is a comparable but very complex route offered by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). I am not sure of the rate of take up in terms of provision for staff by public library services. Such on the job qualifications not only improve service but give staff something to take with them to improve their own careers.The dole queue is full of university grads these days!Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5431d

A friend once sent me a tremendous article - amazingly I think it was in Readers Digest! - about Bill Gates being inspired by his local library as a child and helped by the librarian.Public libraries grew out of the old working mens institutes - places for people to learn who did not have formal education and wanted to self-educate. Eventually the Penny Rate was added to the local rates (now replaced by Council Tax) to pay for public libraries for all. Over the last 30 years they have been squeezed and squeezed.Laing have obviously taken over the running of Hounslow Libraries because they believe it to be a viable business proposition. I have no problem with this if we the public receive the quality of service that we need and are willing to pay for - important point whether we are willing to pay more council tax for a better service. However regardless of the senior management behind public libraries I believe that we are best served by well qualified staff.Are you aware that the Local Studies Dept of Chiswick Library which serves the whole of the Eastern end of the Borough is only open two days a week thanks to volunteers, one of whom is the retired Local Studies Librarian? Staff in this area were slashed quite some years ago, just when local and family history were becoming phenomenally growing hobbies keeping retirees off the streets and mentally active!Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5431d

This is why our libraries should not have been oursourced,at least I now know why the shelves are emptier. You are very knowlegable, am I wrong in thinking that part of our council tax went into the running of the libraries is this not the case? If not then surely they should have been obviously if a firm such as Laing's have taken over the libraries it surely must be a viable business proposition. If only one person in every hundred made a success of themselves purely by having the book's that they required for learning then surely it must be worth it.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

Hazel,I would not be so condescending as to suppose that Librarians were just book stamper's, however unqualified staff can with the correct training become qualified unless of course the individual librarian is afraid that training staff will mean that they know as much as they do and therefore pose a threat to there postion. In that case it just will not happen, my staff were trained by me to be as good as myself of course up to a confidential level, however they enjoyed and were grateful that I acknowledged there worth, I must add that none of them ever let either myself or my firm down,we were a team. Perhaps the dole queue would be shorter if we no longer asked for university grads and just gave ordinary people a chance to shine. I shall be happy to take up your information, no point in criticizing LBH without knowing the why and wherefores.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

When I first came to Brentford 31 years ago, the local library had two chartered librarians - one for adults and one for children's sections. Children could be given proper advice on how to research for school projects - and hobbies - by staff who had undergone proper training to give this help. Even with Google, nowadays, the way in which you search makes all the difference in the answers you get. They could also show the older child how to assess the quality of the sources of information. This cannot be done by outsourced book supply!An audit is rather closer to a book stock check than to cataloguing and classification. Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5431d

Why? Unqualified staff are cheaper to employ than qualified staff. Most people are unaware of the skills used by chartered librarians - that they are not simply book stampers - and what is lost by not employing them. You have the right, Dawn, under the Freedom of Information Act to request the papers relating to those decisions from the Chief Executive of Hounslow Council. He has, I believe, 3 weeks in which to respond.  Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5431d

Hazel,A Library is a business like any other business presumably because they have been sourced out and if run on that basis should not take too long for areas such as you have mentioned, cataloging is like doing an audit, it's interesting consequently time flies by also hand's on training is not only encouraging it makes your staff want to do their best for you. It would also seem to me that the professional librarian has been made redundant purely because of the out sourcing. The Libraries should once again come under the LBH umbrella. Privatisation is good in some areas however we have to remember that the libraries belong to the community and that it is a hands on service and has been for well over one hundred year's.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

Ian,You have good point's, however the Library is there to accomodate people who cannot afford to buy book's or people like me who can read War & Peace within 2 day's. Your suggestion that we may buy these book's brought by Laing is not good they would automatically make a profit and as to giving the proceeds to the Mayor's Charity, my dear old mum alway's said that charity begins at home we as a borough and the country are having a hard time and it is up to us to pull together. What I really want is to know why? in the first instance our Libraries were given away and the most important issue is at what cost, I and assuredly other's would like to know the Business Stratagem that allowed this to happen, where are the monetary records so that we can actually see the cost and the rewards if there are any, which I doubt looking at the state our libraries are in at the moment. LBH if you want a good efficient cost cutting library service then give the resident's a chance to help out.Encourage us I am sure that you would be pleasantly surprised at our reaction.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

There should indeed be far more referenda,the cost of holding which would probably be offset by avoiding the consequences of officers' barmier decisions.

Ian Speed ● 5431d

Disappointing all round, decision's such as these should be put to a district referendum. This for instance should not have happened, my Grandaughter who is 12 required a book called"Accross the Barricades" for a project I went to Brentford Library and asked for it and was told with a sympathetice response that having checked all of our Libraries none had a copy although they could buy in an Audio Copy, this is not good enough I was able to buy this book from Amazon at a cost of 4.99 other's maybe would not have been able to do so.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

I suspect you'd find there was some kind of consultation at the time,but these things are never as well publicised as they should be. The important thing now is to get Laing's to be as customer friendly as possible in the present day. Maybe if books cannot be assimilated into the Library stock, they could be sold at libraries with the proceeds to be donated to the Mayor's charity. Even the County Arms in Isleworth can manage this!

Ian Speed ● 5431d

I think that the most pertinent factor in this discussion is WHY??? our Libraries were farmed out in the first instance, according to Neil it has been almost a decade since this first occured whereby it was passed over to CIP. What was the reasoning behind this decision and who made it without disclosing it to the resident's of Hounslow. We also need to know the cost to us, answer's must be given, it is our right!!!

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

Thanks for this Hazel, this is a useful explanation.

Ian Speed ● 5431d

You too Phil.

Dawn Hardy ● 5431d

In order to find books in libraries they need to be catalogued. This needs to follow a standardised process. Non-fiction needs also to be classified which for anything beyond the most general book on a very broad subject requires training - as indeed does the process of cataloguing. These days many public libraries are at the end of a long period of erosion of professionally qualified staff whose training included these activities. In parallel with this deprofessionalisation is the trend towards book suppliers being contracted to select books as well as catalogue and classify them. (Whilst cataloguing in publication & MARC cataloguing also provides  classification, a book covering several subjects has different possible classifications which the chartered librarian used to select according to the context of a particular library).So there is no local selection, cataloguing and classification facility in many public libraries these days to handle books obtained independently. The cost of making this provision would probably outweigh the benefits of the gift of books.I'm sure you have expertise, Dawn, in your area of business. There will be intricacies not understood by an outsider. Similarly with the management of libraries.Hazel Dakers

Hazel Dakers ● 5432d

We didn't.  We let the Tories choose them in exchange for their support on those issues that we majored on such as Mogden, community engagement and changing the officer-led culture of the bureaucracy in such departments as Environment.

Phil Andrews ● 5432d

Can anyone from the previous Tory-ICG administration advise us why they chose Laing to run our libraries?

John Connelly ● 5432d

It will be great to see you there Dawn.

Phil Andrews ● 5432d

Ian,A great big thank you, I look forward to seeing you.

Dawn Hardy ● 5432d

Dawn and anyone else interested - please come to the LBHWatch meeting on Sep 27th at Isleworth British Legion (7.45), where you are welcome to raise any issues you have with Laing and the Libraries

Ian Speed ● 5432d

Thank's to you Ian and to all who have participated with good helpful information, I shall look and see what surgeries are available and try to find out what is what. It's rather funny here am I a retired-bored business woman! who would be quite amiable to volunteer my services to LBH on helping in a Library and they farm it out to contractor's who have no reason to improve the service. If LBH were to look at it in a business sense they would realise the need of only one official librarian so one salary with people like myself to help out on a daily basis it would save a fortune because I am sure that they have to pay said fortune out to companies that they utalize.How much does it cost us on a yearly basis to pay for the privilege of loosing our libraries.

Dawn Hardy ● 5432d

Laing's are a fairly recent appointment, the previous incumbents being CIP,who were at least ex-council staff. Laings on the other hand are mere contractors. Again,Dawn,suggest pursue anything you are unhappy with your ward councillors. My eexperience with Gunnersbury Park is that Laing's are very slippery and unhelpful customers.

Ian Speed ● 5432d

Many thank's for the info Richard, can anyone explain why LBH would have wanted to farm out our Libraries also if they can explain the supposed benefit to us, because it seem's to me that Laing as I now know have been quitely dismantling our Libraries for the last decade without our knowledge. Council's of any Political Persuasion must appreciate that they work for us. We the resident's of Hounslow employ them to do the very best for our Community not to treat us as if we do not matter Perhaps my memory is at fault, however until this week I had no idea that our libraries had been seconded out to Laing. I obviously have been under a false impression that we as resident's, irrespective of whether we are private or council have a right to be informed of any and everything appertaining to our Council District and yet it would seem that we are to be further removed from being informed of very relavant information because the present council have deemed it so. This is not Democratic and certainly not what our knew Prime Minister meant when he said that Council's would be able to govern themselves. We live in England not a Utopia run on Communistic Rote.

Dawn Hardy ● 5432d

"Laing maybe intergrated but surely they are still builder's"No. Laing are now a very different company from the out-of-date view that you have of them as a builder.  They have in fact sold off a number of the construction businesses in recent years, such as Laing O'Rourke.John Laing Integrated Services is the group's facilities management company.

Richard Jennings ● 5432d

At the end of the day then, the onus is still with LBH, Laing maybe intergrated but surely they are still builder's makes me wonder who does the refurb's of the libraries, lot's of money to be made out of that.Your a whiz, thank's

Dawn Hardy ● 5432d

Many thanks Neil, Why? are the libraries then still under LBH Logo, Redundancies mean closures of course, crafty buggers shelves left empty that's an excuse for not loaning out many book's simply because they are not available, look's good on the Annual Report substantiates that there is no need for a particular library. Investigation and action is required again many thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Dawn Hardy ● 5432d

Just  googled laing and Hounslow library and it led me to www.hounslow.info. It said the service is managed by John Laing Intergrated on behalf of LBH.

Neil Chippendale ● 5433d

Hi DawnRegards Laing running the service, the Libraries haven't been directly run by LBH for years. It is over 10 years. They were run by a not for profit company.Laing have had one round of redundancies , making some librarians redundent and are about to start another round.Phone James MArshall at Hounslow and he will expalin it all.

Neil Chippendale ● 5433d

Hi DawnRegards Laing running the service, the Libraries haven't been directly run by LBH for years. It is over 10 years. They were run by a not for profit company.Laing have had one round of redundancies , making some librarians redundent and are about to start another round.Phone James MArshall at Hounslow and he will expalin it all.

Neil Chippendale ● 5433d

Many thanks for the suggestion Ian, I will contact our local councillor.

Dawn Hardy ● 5434d

Laing should provide a concrete reason for these as there clearly isn't an obvious one. Suggest get a councillor to try and prize an answer out of them.

Ian Speed ● 5434d

Jim,If this is the case and their warehouses or wherever they store the book's are overloaded. Why?for goodness sakes are they not put on the shelves so that we can peruse, choose and enjoy a good read, instead of having to either pay for a book or go to another branch. I thought that part of our Council Tax went toward the upkeep of the libraries, silly me!!!

Dawn Hardy ● 5434d

I used to make regular donations of scientific journals to Isleworth and the central libraries. They recently stopped taking them and told me in an email:"I have made enquiries on your behalf with the senior librarian and unfortunately they are reviewing the stock policy at the moment and advise that they are not in a position to accept any donations at the moment."JL

Jim Linwood ● 5434d

Neil,The Library Service is still under the Hounslow Logo, Why? would a construction company tender for a Library service also why is it not common knowledge. As to your not knowing why our library would not except donations, is it I wonder the Librarian who refused if so this is naughty, if you have the time take a walk down there and see just how empty the shelves are. Are Laing allowing the library to run down so that in the future they can say to the Council that people are not using Brentford, therefore could they buy it and knock it down and rebuild. Are you able to verify this so that I can get onto MP's, appreciate it greatly,Have a good day.

Dawn Hardy ● 5434d

Not sure why the library aren't taking donations, but the service is not run by LBH anymore. Laing the comstruction company have the tender to run the service. They have run it for a couple of years.

Neil Chippendale ● 5434d