Leisure

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Divided into three: ward boundaries

Blackfen is divided into three wards, cutting through the centre of the main shopping area: Blackfen and Lamorbey to the south, Penhill and Blendon to the east, and Falconwood and Welling to the north. It must surely be the most (politically) divided district in the Bexley Borough. This can make it difficult to address issues which affect Blackfen collectively. The Blackfen Forum was set up in 2004 to overcome this but it ceased to exist in 2010.

Blackfen Library is situated on Blackfen Parade in Blackfen Road, which is in the Penhill and Blendon ward. There are three Conservative Councillors for this ward: Graham D’Amiral, Steven Hall and Nick O’Hare.

Next door in the Blackfen and Lamorbey ward are Conservative Councillors Brian Beckwith and Peter Craske and UKIP Councillor Lynn Smith. There are three Conservative Councillors for Falconwood and Welling: Nigel Betts, Val Clark and Louie French.

That’s quite a lot of councillors for Blackfen to have overall. But will any of them support Blackfen’s library and help to secure its future for the people of Blackfen?

Blackfen and Lamorbey ward map. In fact the map, taken from Bexley Council's website in 2014, is an old one as it still shows the old library building in Cedar Avenue which closed in 2005.

Blackfen and Lamorbey ward map. In fact the map, taken from Bexley Council’s website in 2014, is an old one as it still shows the old library building in Cedar Avenue which closed in 2005.

Blendon and Penhill ward map

Blendon and Penhill ward map

Falconwood and Welling ward map

Falconwood and Welling ward map

 

 

 

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Save Blackfen Library

Following Bexley Council’s proposal to re-model the borough’s libraries, the importance to many people to keep Blackfen Library as a Council-run library has become evident, not just to individuals but also to schools and businesses in the area. It is vital that we all make this clear to Bexley Council now. To do this please sign the petition and if you are a Bexley resident you should complete the Council questionnaire as well.

The petition to save Blackfen’s library can be signed here: http://www.change.org/p/bexley-council-save-blackfen-library-and-keep-it-as-a-council-managed-service. [THIS PETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THE ONLINE AND PAPER PETITION REACHED 3017 SIGNATURES].

Karen Mensa-Bonsu has been working incredibly hard to increase awareness of the proposal, to collect signatures and to distribute paper versions of the petition, and it is available to sign at the following places in Blackfen:
Candy Box Supermarket
Blackfen Cards
The Post Office/Londis
Tesco Express
Brownes Chemist
The Blackfen Specialist Off Licence
Morgans Hairdressers
Casey and Korkies Schoolwear
J. Ayre Bakers
The Card Shop Newsagents
Premier Autocentres
Hair Therapy
Day Lewis Pharmacy
The George Staples pub
Copelands Newsagent
Stuart Gothelf Opticians
Pares Children’s Footwear
Our Lady of the Rosary RC Church

Please tell as many people as you can about this. The petition will be presented to the Council by the end of the consultation period on 21 November.

Bexley residents should also complete the Council questionnaire at http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=18087 [THIS QUESTIONNAIRE CLOSED ON 21 NOVEMBER]

Please support your local library and save it from being lost for future generations.

Blackfen Library today is a friendly, busy library in the heart of the shopping area. There are books, DVDs, audio books, PCs, WiFi, Council services, photocopier and fax, Council contact point with freephone, disabled access, public toilet (the only one in Blackfen), art display board for hire and meeting room for hire. Children’s groups include Toddlertimes, Storytimes and Chatterbooks. Regular adult events include a monthly reading group, twice-weekly coffee morning, weekly Scrabble and games club, twice-monthly Stitch and Craft, and two separate weekly Jigsaw puzzle groups. These are invaluable for both young and old, to educate and socialise, and to prevent isolation and loneliness [therefore making financial savings eventually as people are less likely to rely on social services and NHS]. Travelling further afield would be impractical or even impossible for many users due to physical mobility problems, time or cost of travel. Should Blackfen Library close, classes from local schools would be unable to make visits to the library, and children would not be able to pop into the library on their way home from school.

While children and older people are probably the main groups affected, there are also job-seekers who use the computers (not every household can afford a computer and broadband, and online job applications cannot be done via a mobile phone). With the number of financial cuts and public consultations put out by Bexley Council lately, to get rid of the library would seem to strike down democracy itself: for those who cannot travel far, how will they access online or paper versions of the consultation papers?

Children's corner, books and computers at Blackfen Library, March 2014. (Please note that I was not allowed to include people in the photograph, which is why it doesn't look busy. I actually had to wait quite a while before it cleared so I could take it!).

Children’s corner, books and computers at Blackfen Library, March 2014. (Please note that I was not allowed to include people in the photograph, which is why it doesn’t look busy. I actually had to wait quite a while before it cleared so I could take it!).

A snapshot while I was in Blackfen Library on the afternoon of Saturday 25th October: “It’s very busy. Quite a queue at the desk – people borrowing books and booking places for half-term activities for children. Someone is at a table studying, there are people using the computers, and there are excited children reading books in the kids corner. There is a Japanese calligraphy exhibition and artwork by Marlborough Park School on display. And Bexley Council want to get rid of all this? Meanwhile, I spotted only one A4 poster inviting people to comment on Bexley Library proposals – and nowhere did it say ‘and this means this particular library in Blackfen may close as a result’. Almost like they don’t want anyone to find out… Which would be convenient, wouldn’t it?”

As the petition was signed by such a large number of people it will be presented at the Bexley Council Public Cabinet Meeting on 17 December 2014 at 7.30pm. The public can attend this meeting, at the Civic Offices, Watling Street, Bexleyheath, so please come along and show your support.

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Blackfen’s Scout Group: a plea

The 7th Sidcup Scout Group is located to the rear of 55 – 57 Wellington Avenue, Blackfen. It was established in 1948 and the current hut was built by the Rover Scouts in the 1950s via a local donate a brick campaign.

The numbers of Cubs & Scouts are well down and it is now considered to be a ‘failing’ Group. However, steps are now being taken to try to increase youth participation by re-starting the Beaver Colony (ages 6 – 8) and increasing the number of Cubs (ages 8 – 10) with the hope that this will increase parent participation and lead to greater number of Scouts (ages 10 – 14).

The revival is being spearheaded by Di Sprowles, a very experienced Leader who is part of the Bexleyheath Scout management and she will be leafleting the local Schools (Days Lane/Our Lady/Sherwood Park) to try to get their participation. She will also be leafleting, where possible, the businesses in Blackfen and the Oval.

If you do have any children who may be interested in joining the group could you perhaps contact Di Sprowles on disprowles@hotmail.com  Please tell all your family, friends and neighbours about the above.

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Bexley Council’s ‘proposal’ for Blackfen Library

From Monday 29 September 2014, local people will have the opportunity to comment on Bexley’s new draft Library Strategy and its proposals to remodel the borough’s library service.

To save £800,000 the Council is proposing to deliver a ‘core’ library service from the following six libraries, which would operate for longer hours and provide extra services: Central Library Bexleyheath, Crayford, Erith, Sidcup, Thamesmead, Welling.

The Council plans to seek partnerships with community organisations to manage the following four libraries: Blackfen, Bostall, Northumberland Heath, Upper Belvedere.

Community libraries already exist in the borough at Bexley village and (from October) at Slade Green. The Council’s Home Library Service, which delivers books directly to the housebound, is not affected by the proposals.

The consultation will close on 21 November and the responses will be considered by the Council’s Cabinet in December. If approved, changes to libraries are likely to take effect in Spring 2016.

More details of the strategy and options can be seen here.

Please make sure you have your say. You can access the questionnaire here. Blackfen Library is an important local resource for local people. Take a look here to see what Blackfen Library provides for the community. Libraries aren’t just about books. There are events for adults and children, a meeting room for hire, DVDs and CDs, WiFi and PCs, photocopier, oh, and public toilets. (You may remember the previous hoo ha about Blackfen’s public toilets!)