Hendon Library saved - Barnet Council listens to residents (at last)

Local residents love libraries

I happen to believe that the biggest lie in politics is the statement that "all the parties are the same and it's not worth voting". If you think of it logically, the policies of the Conservatives rarely benefit more than a small minority of vested interests, so it is very much in their interest to propogate this myth amongst the majority of voters, who don't benefit from their policies. I have to say this because I've spent the last fourteen years campaigning against the policies of Barnet Council and the former Barnet Conservative administration. The new Labour administration is far from perfect, but I can, in all good faith, say that their policies and strategy are taking the Borough in a completely different direction from that set by the Tories and I have yet to come across a major policy that is bad enough to inspire me to write a blog. I am sure this will change, but if you are wondering where the blogs ranting about the council have gone, there hasn't really been anything to rant about. 

In fact the new Labour administration has been so sensible that even my old nemisis Brian Coleman is tweeting about how marvellous they are.

Blimey, even @briancoleman251 is a Fan of the new @BarnetLabour administration at @BarnetCouncil pic.twitter.com/7kBreTVwlp

— Roger Tichborne/Rog T (@Barneteye) October 19, 2022

Much as I may disike Brian Coleman personally (he was convicted for the assault of Helen Michael, a good friend of mine), I've never doubted for a second that he understands where the g-spot of local Tories is. He has been against the Hendon Hub project from the outset and especially the plan to destroy the Hendon library. Brian has correctly recognised that what his former colleagues in charge were doing was profoundly stupid. Local people of all hues had long ago twigged that the former Tory adminstration was in the pocket of big developers and addicted to bonkers grand schemes. Coleman had ranted against all of them, Brent Cross, North Finchley and Hendon to name a few. These schemes have been labelled 'regeneration' schemes but in truth much of what they are doing is simply destroying perfectly good areas of Barnet for the gain of developers. Of course there are some good parts, the disused railway yards at Cricklewood had potential for homes, but knocking down perfectly good houses for soulless, rabbit hutch tower blocks has always struck me as folly and Brian Coleman has always agreed with me. 

The Hendon Hub scheme was perhaps the most bizarre. It was mainly based in solid a Tory ward and it upset the parties local supporters. I fully understand the concept that Middlesex University needs to grow and there are benefits of consolidating on one site, but if this is at huge cost to local residents then it cannot possibly be deemed a good scheme. Of all the bits of the scheme that were dodgy, the plans for the library were the worst. I find it ironic that it was a Labour Council that saved the local Tories from the stupidity of their own Tory councillors, one of whom was formerly the leader.

The full details of the councils decision regarding the Library are contained in this press release

Barnet Council has decided that the historic Hendon Library will remain in its original location and be refurbished, preserving the library’s heritage and traditional features.

The council listened to hundreds of residents who expressed how important the building is to the local community and the history of the area.

Chair of the Community Leadership & Libraries Committee, Cllr Sara Conway said:

"Hendon Library is a public space cherished by so many people and is an important part of our shared heritage as a Borough. We have listened to hundreds of residents who urged the council not to go ahead with plans to move it from its historic home and are delighted to announce that we will now be retaining Hendon library within the listed building.”

Chair of the Housing & Growth Committee, Cllr Ross Houston said:

“Our plans will mean a newly refurbished and revitalised Library, with access to the archives through a Local Studies Service which will open-up a new window into Barnet’s history and heritage for Library users and visitors.

“Local residents have made it clear that they want us to work with them on the development of the Hendon Hub. I know from the North Finchley regeneration in my own ward just how important it is to engage local people in the regeneration of an area, and the partnership board model is the right way to do this.

“We have listened and will be establishing a Partnership Board to ensure local people are engaged with us on this project and can input and help steer its direction so that we work towards an acceptable regeneration in Hendon.”

The refurbished library will continue to hold its Local Studies Service, a unique collection of local historical documents, photographs and rate books dating from 1600 to the present day.

The refurbishment includes preserving the library’s heritage features such as the iconic central staircase and the glazed ceilings of the upper reading rooms. 

Built in 1929, Hendon Library occupies an important place in the history of the development of public libraries, with pioneering librarian Eileen Colwell establishing a blueprint for children’s librarianship that is still relevant today.

The council is establishing a Hendon Partnership Board. The forum will provide an opportunity for members of the local community to meet with representatives of the council and work collaboratively to address local issues relating to the development of the Hendon Hub and make a difference on the ground.

The Partnership Board will bring together local people who are passionate about Hendon, would like to represent the views of the wider community and advise on how to best support Hendon’s growth.

It's quite dull writing blogs saying how you agree with stuff the Council are doing (especially if you are a member of a different party to the administration) but what else is there to say. In truth, the Barnet Tory administration was massively past it's sell by date. It would have been ousted in Barnet in 2018 if Jeremy Corbyn had not been Labour leader.

We are seeing the same stagnation in the country, I am not even sure who the Prime Minister or Chancellor will be when you read this. It seems to me that after an administration has been in for around 8 years, they start going bonkers. Sadly it often takes a term or two more of stupidty for the voters to realise. We had 20 years of the Barnet Tories, when they  started going completely bonkers after 8 years. That craziness gave us Capita, the closure of Church Farmhouse museum, the CPZ charges fiasco, the Metpro scandal, the freedom pass scandal, the Mapledown school respite care fiasco and the Catalyst cock up. These added together cost hundreds of millions of pounds to the people of Barnet for nothing but aggro in return. 

I think what happens is that for the first term, the council are edgy and eager to please. For the second term, they are competent and happy to build on the successes of the first term. When they win a third term, they forget why they were put there and start thinking they are better than the rest of us. If you've ever wondered why the USA only allow a President to have two terms, this is why. If you look at Putim, it becomes clear what the alternative is. 

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