We need your help today! Please spare 10 minutes of your time.

Brent Council are consulting residents on how to prioritise spending on Neighbourhood CIL funded projects. CIL funding comes when developers receive planning permission for some larger, new developments. When this happens, they’re required to make a payment to the council. This helps fund local infrastructure improvements. This payment is called Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Of this, between 15-25% of the funds has to be allocated by the Council as Neighbourhood CIL.

On the basis of feedback received from this consultation, the council will decide how to prioritise spending in our neighbourhood. The council could allocate funds to local community groups where it believes that these groups can deliver the projects themselves. We are a perfect example of this, and we believe the new Cricklewood Library community hub is the best possible use for these funds. You can access the consultation here: http://brent-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/regen__growth/pr/brent_neighbourhood_cil_priorities_2017-2020

When answering the consultation, you could say some of the following:

  • The library and Gladstone village have generated a lot of CIL money
  • Besides those of us already here and missing our old library, there will be a lot of new residents who will require access to amenities and the new library will be on their doorstep
  • There has been no investment in our neighbourhood in recent years
  • The nearest library is two bus rides away
  • A little investment would go a long way – it is a relatively inexpensive development, and will be sustainable in the long term

The library post-code is NW2 6UY, and our official name is Cricklewood Library. The deadline for completion is midnight on Thursday 30 March, so don’t delay!

Thanks so much for your help. Please spread the news too!

Public Meeting – Fair Funding For All Schools

This event may be of interest to local parents and all those concerned by forthcoming cuts to the education budget.

Fair Funding for All Schools is holding a public meeting at All Saints School, Cricklewood Lane, on 29 March at 1830. All are welcome.

Speakers include Jo Yurkey, Founder, Fair Funding for all Schools
Andrew Baisley, NUT, expert behind schoolscuts.org.uk
Jacques Szemalikowski, Head Teacher, Hampstead School
Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader Barnet Labour Group

https://www.channel4.com/news/schools-lose-out-from-new-funding-formula

The Windows are In!

Yet another momentous piece of news, hard on the heels of the last momentous piece of news. This time it’s that the WINDOWS ARE IN! Forgive the all caps, but we’re giddy with excitement round here that the glass has finally landed and is being installed in the window frames of the library space. Two chaps (pictured) were hard at work this afternoon fixing the panes into the frames. If you waft past the library now you’ll be able to actually see inside and get an idea of the size of the space we have. There’s a fundraising special newsletter winging its way to your inboxes right now if you’re signed up for it. It contains lots of info on ways you can raise funds for the library, some of them at no cost to yourself. Take a read and help us make this library real. If you’re not on the mailing list yet, what are you thinking?? Sign up now!