Local libraries are important to communities. It is the meeting place for people from all ages and culture. To close it means depriving the people of their source of academic & social resources.

Dear Council,

It is with great sadness that we see you destroying the cultural & intellectual heritage of LBWF.

Sadly, history tells us that once something is taken, it is all too often lost.

However, the people of your borough do not accept the wholesale destruction that you seem determined to bring about, be it public conveniences or Libraries, Museums & Galleries.

It is patently obvious that you are not in communication with the people who elected you.

Today young people, mothers of young babies, fathers, grandparents & unattached men & women, all told me how distressed they were about the council’s policies.

One very new young mother was already worried about what future her child would have with no library books. She had always used the Central Library, but could no longer, due to the depletion of book stocks. With the James’ Street Library closed to her, what options does she have?

I read today about the wonderful changes that you have made to Leytonstone Library. I read this too, with regard to the Central Library. The reality was, as so many have said, very different. I wonder, what would be the reaction of people in Leytonstone? Friday Hill Library has already gone & Friday Hill House is to follow? The Louisa Oakes Centre has gone, as have other Adult Education venues. Now I understand!

If we don’t allow children to read at a young age, if we don’t give their enquiring minds the ability to grow in our local libraries, then we won’t need Adult Education Centres in the future so we might as well start scrapping them now!!

How much did you get for The Louisa Oakes Centre? How much will you get for Friday Hill House? What would Lady Heathcote have had to say about your actions & how will the people of Chingford benefit from these sales?

Sadly for you, libraries with books are still needed & will be needed. However you try to limit the minds of your voters by depriving them in this way, there will always be somebody who will speak out & condemn you-whether that be someone who has like myself, benefited from the forward thinking of previous local councils, or a child who grows up in a system that thwarts all of its desire to learn.

You cannot stop minds that really want to flourish whether they live in what is fast becoming the barren landscape of Waltham Forest- both literally and figuratively-or in one of your more vibrant neighbours.

It is your names that will be remembered. Your names that will be despised & rejected. Children grow up loving those who nurture them. The young people of Waltham Forest & their carers will not wish to see you survive as councillors or as possible future MPs etc.

The closure of St James Street is bad enough. It will prevent hundreds of children from picking up the habit of reading outside school, which is one of the biggest factors in doing well at school and in later life.

But even the 'refurbishment' programme is harming libraries in Waltham Forest: the council is wasting a fortune in faddish makeovers but the libraries are reopening with few books than before and a much reduced selection, mainly the sort of paperback you can pick up for 20p at the many local charity This has happened, and been complained about by readers, at central Walthamstow and Hale End so far. How many more of our surviving libraries are going to be 'improved' to death?

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