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Now Library closes following another ...

Author Message
Chris
Joined 30-03-2006
Posted on Thursday, 13 April, 2006 - 06:11 pm:   

It is not on the Council website yet, but apparently the Council have had to close Forest Hill Library, following a similar problem to the swimming pool - the roof might collapse.

I know Cllr Phillip Peake is trying to get more information - the adult section might be closed for up to four months. He is trying to get Lewisham Council to provide temporary or mobile facilities in the interim.

It is amazing that the Council does not have a tighter inspection and planned maintenance regime. Allowing a build to deteriorate until it is closed for emergency Health & Safety reasons, suggests a worrying neglect of public buildings, or a panic mentality, regardless of the short term cost and inconvenience.

Chris Maines

www.mainesformayor.org
Councillorsusanwise
Joined 20-03-2005
Posted on Friday, 14 April, 2006 - 02:08 pm:   

Forest Hill Library was already scheduled to close this summer as part of Lewisham Council's planned maintenance programme of our libraries. At FH library this will involve major repair and redecoration, including works to the listed structure. This will now go ahead in about 8 weeks time. Issues of damp have been addressed very recently in the buliding, but the very heavy rainfall that we have had in the past few weeks may possibly be a contributory factor to new cracks appearing in the ceiling above the adult fiction area.This could be due to water penetration. An immediate inspection identified the cracks as a Health and Safety risk and the library was, quite rightly, closed.The library will be closed until 22/04/06, with the affected area temporarily closed for a longer period. Despite what may be said to the contrary, there is no connection between the issues at Forest Hill Pools and the planned and programmed repair and redecoration in Forest Hill library. The library will still be open as a polling station on May 4th
Philip
Joined 19-03-2005
Posted on Friday, 14 April, 2006 - 06:31 pm:   

Sorry to sound a bit argumentative, but there _is_ a connection between the closure of the pools and the library.

Both have been closed on emergency notice because of serious health and safety risks.

Good management should not let buildings get into that state, but should undertake maintenance _before_ emergency closures are necessary.

The fact that all three buildings on the community site in Forest Hill are now closed can only be described as incompetence.

An incompetence which - under the personalised, supposedly 'accountable' Mayoral system Susan Wise has been singing the praises of on the other thread - can only be laid directly at the door of Mr Bullock and his adviser for Resources, Cllr Whiting.

Regards

Cllr Philip Peake

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Published and promoted by Philip Peake on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, 99 Bradgate Road, SE6 4TR. Printed by Pipex, 1 Triangle Business Park, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks HP22 5BL.
Councillorsusanwise
Joined 20-03-2005
Posted on Sunday, 16 April, 2006 - 11:46 am:   

Thanks for the deserved apology, Phil, but I know you are just doing your job as you see it. For those readers who wish to read an objective briefing on the FH Library issue, please see my prevoius posting on this thread.
Happy Easter


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