Forum Topic

Isleworth Residents March to Save Our Library and Public Hall - Saturday, 19th February, 10.45 am

Dear FriendYou may be aware that as part of a massive programme of budget cuts it has been proposed that Isleworth Library, along with up to seven others, may be closed.Isleworth only reopened a couple of weeks ago!!!As if that wasn't enough, Isleworth Public Hall is also under serious threat.  In fact anywhere where members of the community can get together and speak to one another seems to be very much on the hit list.The London Borough of Hounslow is now saying that it will delay any cuts to the library service and will also push back its plans for the Public Hall.  BUT NEITHER ARE SAFE !!!!Hounslow still wishes to make a saving in excess of £800k and has yet to think of an alternative to the library closures.That is why members and friends of our community will be holding a MARCH from Isleworth Library to Isleworth Public Hall on Saturday, 19th February 2011 at 10.45 am.This friendly and good-natured activity is being supported across the community by people of all age groups and all backgrounds.  It has been organised by a cross-section of residents from The Isleworth Society (TIS), the Community Group (ICG) and Friends of Isleworth Public Hall, as well as many freelance campaigners and well-wishers.  It is intended as a short but potent demonstration of our community's robust opposition to the proposed cuts.Meet up outside Isleworth Library at 10.45 am.  We will be staging a brief celebration of the opening of the new library before the march.Refreshments will be available at the Public Hall from 11.30 am, where you will also be able to sign a petition.  If for any reason you are unable to attend the march, please make your way straight to the Public Hall.We want to put on a real show of strength.  Please do your very best to join us on the march at 10.45 on February 19th.See you there!Phil Andrewson behalf of Save Our Libraries LBH

Phil Andrews ● 5295d21 Comments

STOP PRESS...Mary Macleod MP to attend Isleworth residents' march to Save Our Library and Public Hall tomorrow.

Steve Taylor ● 5284d

"Isleworth Library though, is NOT closing this year."But it may close next year or the year after if we don't all stand together now. Surely its not a bad idea to unite and take a proactive stance?

Steve Taylor ● 5284d

"I don't know, and I rather think that no-one knows for certain - so it is possible that these are things that will be re-visited as further Government cuts hit over the next three years"That is the full sentence which puts my comment into perspective. Isleworth Library though, is NOT closing this year.

Vanessa Smith ● 5285d

"All I know is that there are no plans to close Isleworth library this year. I suspect - I don't know, and I rather think that no-one knows for certain"Isn't that good enough reason to join the march then? Residents of all political persuasion should surely unite on this important issue to make the point well and truly known.

Steve Taylor ● 5285d

Absolutely.  See you there.

Phil Andrews ● 5285d

All on for Saturday. Community action, action, action.

Steve Taylor ● 5285d

Thank you Mary  and glad to hear that some of this great Isleworth artists work is around and about.I'm sure we had access to several of his paintings some 4 or 5 years ago on this Forum... not sure where they're hiding.Without encouraging the threads to drift too much... here's my photo of the Frnak Winterbourne painting that was hanging up in the Public Hall.

Jim Lawes ● 5290d

There are some Frank Winterborne paintings at Hounslow Library in the Local Studies collection. Email localstudies-hct@laing.com to ask for details.

Mary Blyth ● 5291d

Thank you Vanessa, that's the name Frank Winterbourne. I recall Christine Diwall,the local historian, telling me he was related to the old Foundry family located behind the George Public House. Don't "Winterbourne drain covers" appear around the streets of Isleworth somewhere.His fine paintings were delightful. Many of local scenes. Barclays Bank in Osterley used to have one hanging in the Branch for all of us to admire. Once he had a big sale of his work in the Riverside church. I wonder who owns them now?Anyway, your name prompt led me to the Forum Search boxand finding out that I had photos taken inside and outside the Public Hall in 2006 and here's an appropriate one.The Isleworth Public Hall plaque celebrating Queen Victoria's jubilee in 1887.

Jim Lawes ● 5292d

Frank Winterborne?

Vanessa Smith ● 5292d

I took this picture some years back. This is the Community Building in South Street that is under threat. Have you been inside there?What events take place there these days other than the occasional history of Isleworth events and the threatre group productions? What staff are employed? etc Can there be some interesting details?I presume it was the old Borough of Heston and Isleworth Town Hall..one recalls seeing some splendid paintings of previous Mayors etc...and the work of Frank ..frank what his name the artist! (that should get a reply at least!)

Jim Lawes ● 5292d

Now on the Chronicle website:http://tiny.cc/bi3ai

Phil Andrews ● 5293d

Well, well - I had actually been thinking of posting this this morning and you beat me to it!

Phil Andrews ● 5293d

Looks like the coalition is beginning to have a real difference of opinion - 91 Lib Dem councillors have found their wedding tackle - hoo - bloody - ray!From "i" the new newspaper on the 8th:"Some in No. 10 are adamant that councils should make efficiency savings rather than cut grants to community groups. Cameron made this point at last week's PMQs and it is a valid one. But Cameron cannot do very much about the way councils choose to implement cuts. He has argued that his 'Big Society' is a form of localism. Nick Clegg has declared his support on precisely the grounds that the vision is another form of localism. They can hardly tell councils what to do from the centre having insisted that they wish the centre to do less................If No.10 were staffed on the scale of the White House. if the Cabinet Office became a mighty machine and Cameron's new director of communications behaved like Alastair Campbell on speed, the policy still could not work when Sure Start centres and libraries are closing, and the voluntary sector is being cut, in front of people's eyes.There is such a thing as society.Sometimes the state is a necessary binding agency even if it is an inefficient one. Only in Britain is there an enduring fantasy that services can improve with less investment. The day Cameron and Osborne opted for sweeping cuts was defining one with a thousand consequences. One of them is brutally clear. The decision killed off the 'Big Society' and no relaunches or 'revolutionary chiefs' can save it as the axe falls."That I think says it all, these cuts are idealogical and talk of charities and voluntary groups running things is ridiculous if you don't support them with government money. Either way - local councils or voluntary sector -services cost.

Vanessa Smith ● 5293d

Thanks for the prompt response Vanessa.So it seems to me all the more essential that the campaign is maintained, not just for four weeks but if needs be for four years.

Phil Andrews ● 5294d

All I know is that there are no plans to close Isleworth library this year. I suspect - I don't know, and I rather think that no-one knows for certain - so it is possible that these are things that will be re-visited as further Government cuts hit over the next three years. Unless Nick Clegg's ambitions are thwarted and the Lib Dems do badly in May's elections in which case the party may well throw a wobbly and tell Cameron where to stuff his coalition.

Vanessa Smith ● 5294d

"I think events may well have overtaken plans, as regards the library I have heard from an impeccable source that the library is NOT closing."VanessaI see the Executive has now formerly announced that suggested savings from libraries have been "postponed".Would you please kindly clarify whether this was what your source was referring to, or whether you are telling us you have other information that suggests the libraries will be permanently retained?Thank you.

Phil Andrews ● 5294d

VanessaYou sound like Robin Taylor when you make ridiculous references to Tories in Hammersmith and Fulham being "my mates". Do either of you understand that it is possible for a person to be critical of certain things the Labour Party does from time to time and still not be a paid-up member of the Tory Party?Believe it, there's a whole wide world out there filled with people who are not robotic, uncritical followers of EITHER party.  Can you get that?  Folks like your good self are actually very much in the minority.Amusingly, the only conversation I have ever had with a Conservative councillor from H&F was when I encountered one of them at a regional Housing meeting when I was Lead Member.  He regaled me with the news that the Hounslow Conservatives were going to "kick those independents out on their arse" by winning an overall majority in May 2010 and told me what an especially awkward and unpleasant person this Phil Andrews was.  I did think to tell him something he ought to know, but decided against as he seemed to have rather a lot to impart to me.Anyway, if there is a public announcement that the libraries are safe for the duration of this administration, not just for the next few months, then we will deal with that if/when it happens.  Until it happens the march goes ahead, and I doubt whether many people will read this forum and stay away on the basis of your so-far unsubstantiated news.I invited you to attend because a few weeks ago you stated on this forum, or possibly it was W4.com, that you would support a campaign against library closures.  Then suddenly you began to sing another tune.  I didn't realise the party whip extended to non-councillors, although would I be right in sensing that you are positioning yourself for a return?Stranger things have happened.  But who will be asked to give way?

Phil Andrews ● 5294d

No - I am not joining you - the library is O.K. it isn't going to close. I expect there will be a public announcement shortly.In my final sentence I was making the point that although you constantly harp on about the Labour council being virtually at war with residents and picking on them at every opportunity blah, blah - closing community facilities etc.  it seems that your mates the Tories in H&F are even worse! Back to your old ways I'm afraid, see bandwagon - jump on.

Vanessa Smith ● 5294d

Mmmm, some might consider it a trifle improbable that a good news story of such import would be conveyed in private to Vanessa rather than announced publicly.  I think the saying is nice try, but no cigar!The residents' march WILL be going ahead unless they receive an unambiguous and very public assurance that the libraries will be retained, not simply that any proposed closures might be delayed.  An alleged whispered aside to a party colleague from an undisclosed source falls a little short of this I'm afraid.I don't understand your final sentence, but the march is not to be an anti-council march nor an anti-government march, but an anti-cuts march.  My personal view for what it is worth is that neither the government nor the local authority comes out of this covered in glory, the government has created the necessity for cuts and the council decides what its priorities are for cutbacks when it comes to making them, in our case the libraries and community facilities.Vanessa, you did say a few weeks back that you would support any activity organised to oppose library closures.  Will you be coming along to join us on the 19th?

Phil Andrews ● 5295d

I think events may well have overtaken plans, as regards the library I have heard from an impeccable source that the library is NOT closing. I see that Hammersmith & Fulham - a Tory council, decided to sell off a lot of their community halls last night, so much for the "Big Society!"In fact anywhere where members of the community can get together and speak to one another seems to be very much on the hit list."So much for the criticism of Hounslow's Labour Council, and regarding Isleworth Public Hall, as you well know groups can apply to run these amenities if they so desire.

Vanessa Smith ● 5295d