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Squatters or Big Society?

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By *icketysplits OP   Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

A library in Friern Barnet is being run by a group of 'squatters'. Barnet are now trying to evict them and will sell the building.

The library is one of many that has been closed. The Borough's alternative is a room in another building that they are saying could be run by volunteers.

So, on the one hand, the right to buy community assets and run community services appears not to have been an option but on the other the only way to have a library the council will support is for it to be run by volunteers not in a library.

Isn't this the Big Society in action?

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By *reenonionsMan
over a year ago

Nr Exeter

While noble, a library run by squatters will prob not have the resources to function in the way it should and what happens if someone injured themselves in the building etc...

No insurance, no comeback and no accountability.

Chuck em out... I bought my place - get a job etc...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

bring a bit of politics in on fab sometimes it works sometimes not..most people on here probably dont know what a library is...ha ha ha

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By *reenonionsMan
over a year ago

Nr Exeter

Word...

Further to that, will never have need for one in their lifetime lol

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By *icketysplits OP   Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound


"While noble, a library run by squatters will prob not have the resources to function in the way it should and what happens if someone injured themselves in the building etc...

No insurance, no comeback and no accountability.

Chuck em out... I bought my place - get a job etc... "

I agree that it needs insurance and accountability as well as resources. The Council are not offering resources apart from a room. The community using the library feel that is inadequate.

Other areas have taken to having weekly outdoor 'library' groups.

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By *leasureDomeMan
over a year ago

all over the place

Thats a fair point you have raised there ,i thought the council were under a duty to maximise assets its not a good time to sell and not in the best interest of the public purse.

Also surely as the libraries act came in after a referendum and paid for by philanthropists who usually supported libraries in their own areas. For example, Henry Tate and John Passmore Edwards in London,in fact the greatest supporter of public libraries was Andrew Carnegie, who financed over 380 libraries in Britain.

How can the councils close them down and sell them when the buildings were at best donated to the public purse for one purpose. Surely the buildings should go back to the family's who donated them .

If volunteers are prepared to run them free of charge or launch a plea for donations to pay for there upkeep, then the council should leave them alone as they did not pay for the buildings to be built.

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By *icketysplits OP   Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound


"Thats a fair point you have raised there ,i thought the council were under a duty to maximise assets its not a good time to sell and not in the best interest of the public purse.

Also surely as the libraries act came in after a referendum and paid for by philanthropists who usually supported libraries in their own areas. For example, Henry Tate and John Passmore Edwards in London,in fact the greatest supporter of public libraries was Andrew Carnegie, who financed over 380 libraries in Britain.

How can the councils close them down and sell them when the buildings were at best donated to the public purse for one purpose. Surely the buildings should go back to the family's who donated them .

If volunteers are prepared to run them free of charge or launch a plea for donations to pay for there upkeep, then the council should leave them alone as they did not pay for the buildings to be built."

A very interesting argument and one I shall explore. I know just the person.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I know not much about London - but my hubby is well travelled. He suggested that to receive funding that you "blackmail" the Councillors into "donating" part of their "salary" into a pot to run social benefiting projects for the council. A) They get PR profile as newspapers would write about the donation of say £2,500 per council member and B) because they are donating it they get a tax benefits as they can claim it.... Maybe hubby's ideas can help u on..Further he says go back in opening of ur place and see if it was opened with money from donations then the Council has no right to close it and sell it onwards as the donation documents will be clear that it was opened for public by one or several people... He got one Council in North Yorkshire to back down on such as the place was donated by a wool "baron" in 1879 as library and therefore Council couldn't just sell ... but he says u need time and a solicitor to wade through documents... Hope all this helps H.

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By *icketysplits OP   Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound


"I know not much about London - but my hubby is well travelled. He suggested that to receive funding that you "blackmail" the Councillors into "donating" part of their "salary" into a pot to run social benefiting projects for the council. A) They get PR profile as newspapers would write about the donation of say £2,500 per council member and B) because they are donating it they get a tax benefits as they can claim it.... Maybe hubby's ideas can help u on..Further he says go back in opening of ur place and see if it was opened with money from donations then the Council has no right to close it and sell it onwards as the donation documents will be clear that it was opened for public by one or several people... He got one Council in North Yorkshire to back down on such as the place was donated by a wool "baron" in 1879 as library and therefore Council couldn't just sell ... but he says u need time and a solicitor to wade through documents... Hope all this helps H. "

Thanks for this. It's not for me but something that interested me and as it is happening in areas all across the country I thought I'd see if it interested anyone else.

Councillors donating is an interesting idea. They never would but it's always good to have ways of making politicians squirm.

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