Save Sanderstead Library Campaign Group launched!

Sanderstead residents have joined forces, campaigning to keep their much loved and well used local library open and, importantly, run by qualified librarians.

Residents are aware and concerned that Sanderstead Residents' Association and the local Sanderstead ward councillors have pushed for a community library, run with volunteers, from very early on in the consultation process.

Despite repeated requests and local outcry there has been no support from Sanderstead Residents' Association to champion the views of local residents, nor any reasonable dialogue with the campaigners and residents. Yet the association purports to speak on behalf of Sanderstead residents. This is at odds with other areas of the borough where Residents' Associations are fully supporting the communities that they serve.

We have recently lost our qualified librarians in the internal reshuffle, even before any decision on the Libraries consultation is taken. Many local residents are still unaware of this. The new manager that Croydon put in place about a month ago is yet to make an appearance at our library to meet with the local community.

None of this bodes well for Sanderstead.

So, as advised by the Council here, reproduced below, we are formalising our campaign group as we DO want our views heard on this very important local issue. As they advise:

"If you would like to make your views heard there are a number of ways to do so. You can:

• attend your local neighbourhood partnership where local residents can ask questions and give their opinions

• visit talk2croydon to find out what all the local public services are doing to involve local communities in making decisions

• start your own campaign about an issue you care about

• get involved in deciding the future look of Croydon by registering on our planning consultation portal

• if asked, take part in one of our surveys or in the TalkAbout Croydon Panel.

We really do value the time and effort you make to tell us what you think."

We hope that, by formalising our campaign group, the Council and the Sanderstead Residents' Association will  now engage with us productively on the future of our library.

We are committed to speaking out for our community; a community that wants not only to keep our library open but to claw back the professional library service that the Council seems intent on eroding.

If you wish to support or join our campaign please get in touch via our website, by posting here or by sending an email to soslibraryblog@gmail.com

Further information is available at www.savesandersteadlibrary.co.uk

You may also like to follow us on twitter at @SaveSanderstead and @SandersteadLCG