WALTHAM FOREST: Christmas carols make councillors walk out of meeting

2:30pm Wednesday 19th December 2007

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CHRISTMAS carols of a difference brought a council meeting to a halt when cultural protestors descended on the Town Hall.

Dozens of people angry at council cuts sang their versions of the festive songs to councillors arriving for the full council meeting at the building in Forest Road, Walthamstow, last Wednesday.

When they brought their songs inside they made so much noise council Leader Clyde Loakes could not complete his speech, and councillors walked out.

The meeting was disturbed for ten minutes and the protestors were stopped from going back in once they had chosen to leave.

St James Street Library Campaign had planned to hand in a giant Christmas card, signed by local children and calling for the library to be reopened.

But they were unable to hand it to Cllr Loakes.

Library campaigner Caroline Molloy pledged to make sure he got his Christmas greetings before the big day.

It was the latest in a series of popular events calling for Walthamstow's St James Street Library to be reopened and for the council to stop destroying books.

On December 8, more than 100 people went to a fun day outside the closed library, decorating its windows, swapping books and playing party games.

The protest was arranged and the carols written in 24 hours and none of those present had no chance to rehearse.

THE CAROLS HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING.Hark! the talk of cuts is near,We'll be back here come new year!Don't think that you'll sneak them through,Waltham Forest's on to you,Remember why you were elected,T' represent, you were selected,We need libraries, care homes too,Guard our rights, it's up to you.Hark! the talk of cuts is near,We'll be back here come new year!Hark! The talk of cuts is near,We'll be back here come new year!I SAW THREE SHIPSI saw our councillors walking by,On budget day, on budget day;I saw our councillors walking by,On budget day in the morning.And what was in those councillors minds,On budget day, on budget day;And what was in those councillors minds,On budget day in the morning?To cut our libraries, museums too,On budget day, on budget day;To cut our libraries, museums too,On budget day in the morning.I saw three lorries driving by,To Edmonton, to Edmonton.I saw three lorries driving by,To Edmonton dump and recycling.And what was in those lorries fine,Our library books, our library books.O what was in those lorries fine,Our library books for a-pulping.JINGLE BELLSJingle bells, what the hell's,Happened to our books?A diff'rent story every day,Lets counc'llors off the hook.Jingle bells, cast your spells,Find the missing books,Are they in some damp old hole,Where no one ever looks?Jingle bells, Santa tells,People to be neat.So who's sacked cleaners and left litter,Blowing down our street?Jingle bells, Miranda Grell's,Left a vacant seat,Will we see her party take,A terrible defeat?THE HOLLY AND THE IVYNew Labour and the Lib Dems,When they are both in power,Of all the councils in the land,Why do we get this shower?O the cutting of the lib'ries,And the burning of the books,The sacking of the frontline staff,Whilst our councillors don't look.Their parties have long his'tries,Of fighting for our rights,But this council has forgotten that,And our services they smite,O the cutting of the lib'ries,And the burning of the books,The sacking of much-needed staff,Whilst our councillors don't look.THE FIRST NOELThe first consultant, the council did say,Was to help our poor managers, whilst raising their pay.Whilst raising their pay, they cut all the rest,On a cold winter's night they said we know best'.No way, no way, no way, no way,We won't let you cut stuff on budget day!THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMASOn the First Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,A redundant Curator from our Gallery.On the Second Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Third Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Fourth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,4 Olympic Gold Rings, shout: They cut one, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Fifth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,5 years without cinema, 4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Sixth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Seventh Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,a 70 grand consultant, 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Eighth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,an 8 thousand pound Fish Tank, a 70 grand consultant, 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Ninth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,9 Book-Starved Lib'ries, an 8 thousand pound Fish Tank, a 70 grand consultant, 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Tenth Day of Christmas, our Council gave to us,10 Cab'net Members, 9 Book-Starved Lib'ries, an 8 thousand pand Fish Tank, a 70 grand consultant 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Eleventh Day of Christmas our Council gave to us,11 Pipers priced out, 10 Cab'net Members, 9 Book-Starved Lib'ries, an 8 thousand pand Fish Tank, a 70 grand consultant, 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.On the Twefth Day of Christmas our Council gave to us, 12 months school dinners,11 Pipers priced out, 10 Cab'net Members, 9 Book-Starved Lib' ries, an 8 thousand pand Fish Tank, a 70 grand consultant, 6 Pounds an hour, 5 years without cinema!4 Olympic Gold Rings, 3 Incinerators, 2 Merged Museums and one redundant Curator.WE'LL WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMASWe'll wish you a merry Christmas,We'll wish you a merry Christmas,We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Oh we love our town centre,Oh we love our town centre,Oh we love our town centre,Don't fill it with towers.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Oh we all love Vestry House too,Oh we all love Vestry House too,Oh we all love Vestry House too,So don't cut its hours.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Oh give us our library books back,Oh give us our library books back,Oh give us our library books back,We'll wish you good cheer.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Oh we all love William Morris,Oh we all love William Morris,Oh we all love William Morris,So let's keep him here.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new yearOh we love our Forest Orchestra,Oh we love our Forest Orchestra,Oh we love our Forest Orchestra,So don't throw it out.Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.Oh we love St James Street library,Oh we love St James Street library,Oh we love St James Street library,Re-open it now!Good tidings we'll bring,If you do the right thing.We'll wish you a merry Christmas,And a happy new year.