Friern Barnet Library: "New Success In Our Campaign"

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"We achieved great publicity at the BAPS (Barnet Alliance for Public Services) Alternative Torch Rally and Parade, at our library and in North Finchley and Finchley Central on 21 July, and at another brilliant Pop-Up Library on the day of the official Torch Relay, the 25^th, where we were greeted with enormous enthusiasm and warmth by the community.

"On Tuesday 31 July, we achieved an excellent result, when Barnet Council’s Scrutiny Committee voted to send our petition to have the library re-opened back to Cabinet.

"Both Rosie Canning and our stalwart Councillors Barry Rawlings, Pauline Coakley-Webb and Kate Salinger gave fantastic speeches, hammering home our message: Barnet Council has undermined the interests of Friern Barnet residents by undemocratically shutting our service, set up a sham library at Arts Depot that no-one wants (in an absurd gesture that only serves to waste tax-payers’ money) and handed funding on a plate to a library in Hampstead Garden Suburb that could have been used to keep Friern Barnet Library open.

"A head of steam is building as badly-hit local traders are now also calling for the service to re-open. We have maintained an effective presence on Friern Barnet Green since FBL shut, and kept up our media profile. We are not going away until our library re-opens, despite the dogged words of the chief architect of this mess, Councillor Robert Rams. This month will see a big new event on the Green on Sunday 26^th August, around the 100^th anniversary of Friern Barnet’s fabulous 43 bus! Do put the date in your diaries and come along to join the fun (timings will be on the website soon).

"We very much welcome new members to our meetings, at the British Legion next to the library on Friern Barnet Road (starting time: 6.30pm). It’s a chance to do something really worthwhile for the local community – not to mention make new friends."