South Wye Community Association

[Colin James]

South Wye Community Association are very keen to retain the library and they feel that misinformation could actually prejudice these plans.  At the moment the proposal from Herefordshire Council is out for consideration/comment.

 

The Community Association have emailed me the attached letter and asked that it be published on Hereford Voice in order to try and give a balanced view of what is happening.  Obviously we are all keen to ensure that we retain the library for everyone.

 

Here is the letter:

 

South Wye Community Association

Belmont Community Centre

Eastholme Avenue

Belmont

Hereford

HR2 7UQ

 

4 August 2015

                                                                                               

The Editor

Hereford Voice

 

Dear Sir           

                                                                       

Belmont Library       

 

Herefordshire Council’s current proposals could close some of its existing library sites, including the Belmont Library, and make more customer services available online. There could also be an opportunity to further share sites, and in turn, costs. The council could also extend community involvement to retain libraries in local areas. It is proposed to keep Hereford Library and The Hereford Centre (Customer Services), as they are the most used facilities.

 

• Herefordshire Council has entered into the consultation process about the future of the libraries, and other services.
• No decisions can be made about Belmont Library before the consultation process is completed.
• If the community gets more involved in running and financing the Belmont Library, it can be retained.
• South Wye Community Association, landlord of the Belmont Library, is engaged with other groups to save the library.

 

Ex councillor Glenda Vaughn Powell wrote, in a post dated 25 July 2015 that, “At a trusties (trustees) meeting of the South Wye Community Association last week Cllr Edwards said the Library (Belmont Library) would close in March.” 

 

The above statement is untrue.

 

• No such trustees meeting took place, Cllr Edwards is not a trustee of SWCA, and certainly was not afforded the opportunity to make the comment that Vaughn Powell attributed to him!

 

Ex councillor Vaughn Powell also wrote, “..as a member of the management committee for the centre”…..

 

• So there is no misunderstanding, ex councillor Vaughn Powell attended SWCA management meetings, only by invitation, in her role as a Belmont Ward Councillor. 
• her invitation was nullified when she was not re-elected on 15 May this year.

 

Following the May elections, an invitation was extended to Cllr Tracy Bowes to attend SWCA meetings because:- 

 

• Cllr Bowes was elected to represent the Belmont Rural Ward.  
• Cllr Bowes has joined in the effort to save the Belmont Library. 
• Cllr Bowes has taken a great interest in all Belmont Community Centre activities, and the Centre’s future development.

 

 

 

For the record:-

 

• Cllr Bowes has been appointed a trustee of the South Wye Community Association.

 

All South Wye Community Association trustees and volunteers, who manage the Belmont Community Centre, are tired of reading and hearing about the disingenuous posts on Hereford Voice attributed by ex councillor Vaughn Powell

 

To reiterate, Herefordshire Council is at the consultative stage of its proposals, and no decisions can be made until the process is completed. Meanwhile it is counter-productive for anyone to make wrongful statements regarding the future of the Belmont Library, which could prejudice the outcome of the council’s deliberations.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

 

 

Trustees and Management Committee

South Wye Community Association

 

[Victor Wright]

Oooo a little dig at an ex councillor who has always supported the SWCA and library, while I appreciate the clarification, I think the letter could of been worded with a little less venom perhaps.

[Roger]

Sounds like a storm in a teacup to me! I see the letter is signed by 'Trustees and Management Committee'. I don't know who is on that Committee or who drafted the letter .... 

 

Could not someone just have posted on the original post here at #8 to dispute the recollection of events? 

[Denise Lloyd]

If I was Glenda I would be most upset and find the tone of the letter nasty.  Did all the Committee sign the letter or is it from one individual who has not got the guts to put their name to the letter - an unnecessarily harsh letter.

[Denise Lloyd]

Having looked on various websites can find the names of the Trustees but not the Committee members

[Glenda Powell]

I was told by a member of the trustees committee that there had been a meeting 2 or 3 weeks ago and Cllr Edwards attended the meeting, I asked if they mentioned the Library and was told briefly, it was then I was advised that Cllr Edwards said the library was to close next March. I have not mentioned who told me this by name but he holds a prominent position at the centre. I was not aware until last Friday coffee morning that I was no longer a member of the management committee, as again I was told there was to be a meeting to discuss the library and I asked when, so that I could attend, as I had fought very hard last year for its retention and supported the librarian and her colleagues at a meeting Jesse Norman had arranged at the Starlight rooms at the football ground, it was then after the meeting that I was assured by Cllr Roger Phillips that Belmont Library will not close.Since then the council has gone back on their word.

Denise and Victor thank you for your comments it does not bother me what they say, it just goes to show what type of people they are. I am a firm believer in the saying "what goes around, comes around".

[Roger]

At the trusties meeting of  the South Wye Community Association last week Cllr Edwards said the Library would close in March

 

That is the allegation ..... It's a yes or no answer for me. Was it said or was it not said? 

[Roger Edwards]

I recon it will close. I have lived in Belmont now for 20 odd years, and have never been there. I don't know any of my friends that actually use the library. In days of old when computers were expensive, libraries were useful. But now with most people with computers all the information is there in seconds, at your fingertips.

With your hands on your heart, when did you last use the library? Ah! you may have gone in to get some green bags.

I think this is where Hereford Council could save some money and close the library.

If I want a book I buy them from a charity shop, and when I finish with the book I give it back to the charity shop.

[greenknight]

I recon it will close. I have lived in Belmont now for 20 odd years, and have never been there. I don't know any of my friends that actually use the library. In days of old when computers were expensive, libraries were useful. But now with most people with computers all the information is there in seconds, at your fingertips.

With your hands on your heart, when did you last use the library? Ah! you may have gone in to get some green bags.

I think this is where Hereford Council could save some money and close the library.

If I want a book I buy them from a charity shop, and when I finish with the book I give it back to the charity shop.

Sadly Roger is right and these days I only go to the county library to get green bags. I noticed many libraries can no longer purchase new books. I believe we should have a county library but that's all we need.

[Roger]

I noticed many libraries can no longer purchase new books. I believe we should have a county library but that's all we need.

 

Flagship Birmingham library cannot afford to buy up to date books .... It was on the news tonight .... 

 

 

Knowledge collection has moved on and libraries are now old hat. Probably handy if you want to surf the web as a visitor on their computers but they are a dead duck. Private enterprise can pick up the slack if their is any money in it. Just make sure to secure any valuable books from any book collections. Like the 'chained library' .... 

[Paul Jones]

I recon it will close. I have lived in Belmont now for 20 odd years, and have never been there. I don't know any of my friends that actually use the library. In days of old when computers were expensive, libraries were useful. But now with most people with computers all the information is there in seconds, at your fingertips.

With your hands on your heart, when did you last use the library? Ah! you may have gone in to get some green bags.

I think this is where Hereford Council could save some money and close the library.

If I want a book I buy them from a charity shop, and when I finish with the book I give it back to the charity shop.

 

Yes as sad as it is to read you are correct, I have never used the library I can find everything I need online. Even my mrs who is a big bookworm downloads eBooks these days. I would prefer to have the money spent installing additional CCTV camera's along the old railway lines.

[Roger Edwards]

I see Ex. Councillors. V-Powell has been badly criticised, but I feel that she may have spoken some truth. I don't support her but I recon she keeps up to date from her old Councillors coligues.

Libraries are asking for second hand books. I bought an ex library book which is in fabulous condition for .50th from local charity shop. I believe that libraries should not sell off books,

but put them into storage. I also suspect that libraries do waist money.

 

Only time will tell if G.V-POWELL WAS RIGHT or the or SWCC Committee.

 

I also would like to know what does SWCC do for the residents of Belmont as a community centre. To me it's like Northolme Community Centre a hall for hire.

 

The question I ask can we live without it, I certainly, and my whole family can.

[H.Wilson]

I see Ex. Councillors. V-Powell has been badly criticised, but I feel that she may have spoken some truth. I don't support her but I recon she keeps up to date from her old Councillors coligues.

Libraries are asking for second hand books. I bought an ex library book which is in fabulous condition for .50th from local charity shop. I believe that libraries should not sell off books,

but put them into storage. I also suspect that libraries do waist money.

 

Only time will tell if G.V-POWELL WAS RIGHT or the or SWCC Committee.

 

I also would like to know what does SWCC do for the residents of Belmont as a community centre. To me it's like Northolme Community Centre a hall for hire.

 

The question I ask can we live without it, I certainly, and my whole family can.

 

Colin advertises both SWCA and Northolme centres but I see only Northolme returning the favour, that said, there is nothing stopping them creating topics about up and coming events on HV. I think Northolme may have posted about their open days but I have never seen anyone from SWCA, they need to get more support and HV and a huge audience these days, here on Twitter and a huge following on their FaceBook page and is growing.

[Roger Edwards]

Colin advertises both SWCA and Northolme centres but I see only Northolme returning the favour, that said, there is nothing stopping them creating topics about up and coming events on HV. I think Northolme may have posted about their open days but I have never seen anyone from SWCA, they need to get more support and HV and a huge audience these days, here on Twitter and a huge following on their FaceBook page and is growing.

There no community weekly entertainment. It nearly all hire of halls for private functions. No entertainment offered to the general public.I am sorry to say that this is how I feel.