I have heard rumors locally about the closure of Cricklewood library and today signed a petition, organised by Friends of Cricklewood Library to keep it open.

I’ve emailed Brent Council and the Lib Dem Councillors to try and discover more truth or otherwise about this rumor.

With the candidates nominated for the Stonebridge by-election, here’s a little summary of them for you:

• ALADESHE, Funmi The Conservative Party
• COX, Sarah Respect
• ORR, Brian Green Party
• VAN KALWALA, Zaffar The Labour Party
• WILTSHIRE, Sandra Elina Liberal Democrats

Is “Happy voting!” really the proper way to close an email announcing a Council By-election? Anyway…
A seat has become vacant in the Stonebridge Ward following the death of Councillor Dorman Long. A by-election will be held on Thursday, 13 September 2007 to elect a new representative.

The by-election gives the Lib Dems another opportunity to win a seat - but will they win it? I doubt it. Stonebridge ward is a Labour heartland - you only have to look at the votes cast in the 2006 Local Election to see that… Winning this single seat will not change the overall political balance of Brent Council: The Lib Dems would need to win a few more by-elections or benefit from defections (not for the first time in Brent’s recent political history) in order to be in a position to leave the alliance with the Conservatives and lead a majority administration. This by-election is a litmus paper - are Stonebridge residents pleased with Cllr Paul Lorber’s coalition administration, enough to give the Lib Dem’s another Councillor? Or will we see a new face in the Council from the Labour Party?

The BBC have an article on the electoral ward boundary changes. London looses Brent East. The BBCs prediction for the larger seats that gain territory from Brent East are ‘labour marginal’.

Last year SKNDC advertised for interested parties to propose solutions for a wireless network project in South Kilburn. Comwifinet responded and we won the work. Yet the project was shelved as the budget for ICT in the Home ran out.

SKFM, the community radio station broadcasting from the NDC area, is currently streaming to listeners over the internet. Listening to the stream reminded me of the community network project and I’ve begun to make contact with SKNDC again. Here’s a link to a presentation I’ve prepared and begun to dsiitribute to people active in the SKNDC project. The presentation gives an introduction to community network projects and proposes some ideas and models for a community network in South Kilburn.