SRA put up a strong case against the closure of Sanderstead Library and the Friends was created in response to this. See below for information on what we did, a history of the library building and a short piece on The Story Sanctuary, the organisation who were successful in their bid to take over the building after the library closed in November 2024.
The Friends of Sanderstead Library (TFOSL) was formed in response to the threat of closure to Sanderstead library in 2021. TFOSL is a sub-committee of Sanderstead Residents Association and has its own Terms of Reference which were formally approved at the SRA AGM in May 2022. The committee of SRA appointed Richard Pacitti, a SRA member, as the first Chair of this Group as he has been instrumental in the formation of TFOSL.
The aim of TFOSL is to help and promote our much loved library by doing gardening, simple repairs/maintenance and working towards creating a community hub as well as supporting the professional library service.
TFOSL work closely with the Sanderstead library staff and the Council library staff. To date they have primarily been keeping the garden tidy with regular working parties which are advertised on the website (see What’s On page) and our Facebook page. We have created a wild-flower area and have also supplied a picnic bench so that there is somewhere to sit outside and enjoy the rose garden under the canopy of the majestic beech tree.
We nominated the library for the Green Thumb Share the Lawn Love campaign and are delighted that we were successful. This means that we will have free treatment for the lawn starting in March 2023.
If you would like to help please contact Richard Pacitti, Chair TFOSL at tfosl@sanderstead-residents.co.uk. It is important that you are a member of SRA if you wish to help so that you are covered by our insurance.
The library is under threat again and in response we created a survey in February 2023 for residents to have their say about the future of our library. We had over 300 responses but we had to close the survey earlier than originally planned so that we could present a business case to the Council (although we did point out that this might happen when we launched the survey and asked residents to complete it asap). See the results below.
Sanderstead Library – Busy and Getting Busier – report September 2023
When the Friends group visit the library for a ‘work party’ or a meeting it is always very heartening to see how well-used and highly valued our local library is.
Usage figures for the library show that footfall has been increasing steadily since last year. July was particularly busy with a 53% increase!
| 2022 | 2023 | %age increase | |
| April | 1,157 | 1,476 | 28 |
| May | 1,558 | 1,644 | 6 |
| June | 1,379 | 1,595 | 16 |
| July | 1,601 | 2,444 | 53 |
Attendance at specific events has also increased: up by 83%. With Rhymetimes being the most popular, with an increase of a whopping 169% compared with last year. After the closures due to lockdown and with new opening hours, it has taken local people a while to get used to when they can access the library, but it seems that people are now aware of the new opening times and are starting to make the most of what’s on offer.
| April-June Quarter | 2022 | 2023 | %age increase |
| Overall event attendance | 140 | 256 | 83 |
| Rhymetimes (included in the above) | 52 | 140 | 169 |
So far, 129 children have joined the Summer Reading Challenge at Sanderstead.
The efforts made by the Friends Group to keep the appearance of the grounds tidy and more welcoming seem to be appreciated by visitors, as is the input from the WI group who keep the rose beds looking good and Green Thumb who are looking after the lawns. People also welcome the repairs and maintenance to the building undertaken by the Council.
The more we use our local services, the easier it is for us to protect them and show the Council that they are valued and ought to be preserved.
Gardening morning ion Friday 16th June 2023 All SRA members are covered by our insurance. Please come along to help if you can.
We had a successful morning although unfortunately we only had one extra person apart from the Friends Committee. Maintenance was carried out on the wildflower area and the bee orchids are now in bloom. We also raked up fallen matter from the tree and did some weeding. Another 30 bags of garden waste for the Council to collect! We plan to have another work party in the early autumn to clear the bed under the wall so that we can plant bulbs and drought tolerant plants. The WI tend to the rose bed and the roses are a magnificent sight this year.
Friends of Sanderstead Library – Situation Report – 10th February 2023
One of the great things about living in Sanderstead is the trees. In a suburban area trees provide relief to the landscape and natural shade in hot weather not to mention an alternative to lampposts for dogs. However as in life in general, all good things have a down side and in the case of trees – leaves.
Sanderstead library grounds is blessed with two magnificent trees, a Beech tree which is nearly 100 years old and is protected and an unusual Cigar Tree- but they shed their leaves. The other great benefit of the library is the surrounding ground which, with a recently donated picnic bench, is a haven of open space in an erstwhile built up area.
To ensure this grassy area is maintained the leaves have to be removed, else the grass will not flourish and be available in summer.
So this is what two Fiends achieved in two hours – 37 bags for Croydon Council to collect. Just think what six friends could have achieved in the same time.
The leaves we didn’t have time for were raked up against the wall.
The leaf rake also ‘revealed’ all the hidden crocuses under the beech tree which will now be a burst of colour for all to enjoy.
FOSL has advertised maintenance days but support has not been encouraging. So if you are able and willing to help, would you please e-mail Richard, tfosl@sanderestead-residents.co.uk, and let us know the days of the week you could be available, please – not specific dates yet just the days you could make. This will allow us to arrange a day or days suitable for most people so that we can keep our library and its grounds looking good.
Stop Press – the library gained a nomination for the GreenThumb ‘Share the Lawn Love’ campaign which has been successful. The library’s lawn will now get some free lawn treatments.
LIBRARY SURVEY – THE RESULTS ARE IN – 10 March 2023
In early 2023 the Residents’ Association asked people to complete a survey about the future of our local library.
We were delighted to receive more than 300 responses. Thank you to everyone who took part. 99% of those who responded said they were concerned about the possible closure of the library.
Those who answered were worried not just about the loss of the library, but also the loss of a public building with many potential uses, the loss of public green space and the loss of a piece of architectural heritage.
People came up with many ideas of how the use of the library could be expanded to meet a broader range of community needs.
The two most popular suggestions were for a Community Hub that would meet multiple needs of all of the community, including being a meeting space and a place where groups could be run, and a community cafe/coffee shop.
Other popular ideas included the use of the outdoor space for activities, a pop up shop for local artists and businesses, an arts and crafts centre, a place for hot-desking and other services to support those working from home, a youth club, dance/exercise studios/performance space, a place that would help to combat loneliness and isolation, a place to access Council services and get advice/CAB, and a food hub.
You can read a full summary of the findings in the .pdf files attached. The original questions and the final results. (see the post under News for the links).
We will be using the results of the survey as part of our ongoing discussions with the Council about the future of the library and how it could be expanded to meet more of the needs of the Sanderstead community.
REPORT TO THE AGM 2023
Since the last AGM quite a lot has happened with the group. The work parties have continued in order to keep the grounds looking neat. We have swept leaves, cut back shrubs, ivy and brambles and installed a bench so that people can sit and enjoy the lovely gardens that surround our library. The Council has also been undertaking a lot of work, including repairs to the roof and drains and the retaining wall to the front of the building. They’ve also installed new heating boilers and done work to cut back branches from the large tree. The Residents’ Association were also successful in a bid to Green Thumb and they have begun to undertake work on the lawns. The W.I. continue to tend to the rose beds.
When undertaking the work parties, it has been very satisfying to see so many people using the library. We have also recruited some new volunteers this way. The library is a well-used local resource and one that local people value highly. A recent survey by the Residents’ Association showed that 99% of the more than 300 people who took part would be concerned if the library were to close. Those who answered were worried not just about the loss of the library, but also the loss of a public building with many potential uses, the loss of public green space and the loss of a piece of architectural heritage.
Some of us have also been researching the history of the building itself. It was constructed in the 1930s and was designed by the firm of Gold and Aldridge who specialised in the design of public libraries between the wars. Much of their work is deemed to be of architectural importance and a number of the libraries that they designed (including Purley library) have been listed. However, the library was designed and built at a time when accessibility was not thought about in the way it is nowadays. Our library doesn’t have accessible toilet facilities and the Friends Group have been thinking it would be sensible to think about how we can develop the library. The idea of a Community Hub seems popular with many local people. We have submitted our thoughts about this to the Council and look forward to discussing our ideas with them in due course.
Our Library is Under Threat – Again
Regrettably, our library is under threat once again. The new Council Administration took office with a debt of £1.6 billion which means that the interest payments annually amount to an eyewatering £50 million. Therefore another 114 Notice was issued and significant difficult decisions are having to be made in an attempt to bring down expenditure. They consulted on a budget for the 23/24 financial year and the papers that they released as part of this process included proposals to sell off Council assets (including our library). The Residents’ Association contacted members at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 encouraging as many people as possible to take part in the consultation and hopefully many of us will have done this and will have let the Council know how much we value the library and its surroundings. Of course, selling off the assets that the Council have highlighted will go no-where near paying off the debt. It seems unfair that local residents may have to bear the weight of the Council’s dire financial situation by losing a valuable local resource (along with Council Tax increases) when we were in no way responsible for creating the problem. We continue to discuss the future of the library with the Council.
If anyone is interested in the Friends group, either in terms of helping out or getting involved in the campaign to save the library, we can be contacted at tfosl@sanderstead-residents.co.uk.
Richard Pacitti – Chair
Sanderstead Residents’ Association – SAVE SANDERSTEAD LIBRARY – FEBRUARY 2024
Croydon Council has earmarked Sanderstead library for closure as part of a programme to change how library services are delivered. They are currently in the consultation phase (until April 19th), but say that when library services are removed from the building, they want the community to take over and run the building. If this does not happen, they will sell the building to the highest bidder.
The Council argues that Croydon’s libraries are not as well used as some other areas. Even so, 10% of the population (approximately 40,000 people) are regular, loyal users. Given how little they spend on the libraries this represents excellent value for money.
Croydon cut its library budget by £300,000 in 2019 and £504,000 in 2022 and has failed to maintain and develop library buildings. Croydon spends less per head on its library service than any other London Borough. Croydon ranks 22nd out of 33 London Boroughs in terms of libraries per head. Croydon ranks lower for spend and libraries per head when compared with many metropolitan areas of similar size outside of London.
Libraries in Croydon aren’t as well used as they could be because they have been starved of resources and the libraries budget cut to the bone. Most libraries are only open two or three days a week and most are not open on Saturdays which is the most popular day.
Sanderstead Library
Despite its reduced opening hours, Sanderstead library is very well used when compared with other libraries and highly valued. It is the only publicly owned building in the area.
A significant percentage of the population of Sanderstead is older and less physically mobile than most of the rest of the Borough. They are more likely to be lonely, socially isolated (predictors of poor mental health) and physically frail. They would not easily be able to travel to other libraries. A physical library is much more appropriate than the digital services the Council are suggesting. There is a growing number of young families in the area.
Closure of the library would mean that the building would be lost for ever for everyone in Sanderstead. Many of the Council’s other aims (more local services, preventative services, support to carers, public health interventions etc) would be thwarted without a local space to deliver those services from.
Many of the priorities in Croydon’s Health and Wellbeing Draft Strategy: good mental health and wellbeing for all; healthy safe and well-connected neighbourhoods and communities; supporting our children, young people and families; supporting our older population to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives; could be delivered in an enhanced library building in Sanderstead.
The library does need to have accessible toilet facilities and be more user friendly to families with small children and those with disabilities. In March of 2023, after consulting with local people, SRA put forward an Outline Business Case of how this could be achieved and funded. This document was submitted again in March 2023 and December 2023. Until the recent consultation they had no response from the Council to this document.
Elsewhere (a good example is Wenvoe library in Wales), modular buildings have been used to provide extra, more accessible spaces for libraries, allowing them to function as Community Hubs. These buildings can be installed in a matter of weeks and are very good value for money.
The Council says that it plans to develop libraries in South Norwood and New Addington as Community Hubs even though library usage there is much less than in Sanderstead. We accept that these areas have higher levels of deprivation than Sanderstead, but the population in Sanderstead has challenges too in terms of age, mobility, frailty etc and those people are entitled to a local service too. We feel the same work that is being put in by the Council and its partners to develop the hubs in South Norwood and New Addington should be put in to Sanderstead library.
Sanderstead Residents’ Association believes that:
Sanderstead residents deserve fair and equal access to local public services, including a library.
Croydon’s library budget should be increased to at least the London average.
Capital monies from e.g. section 106 funds and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) should be used to improve and extend library buildings. This would enable a much broader range of services to be provided and facilities offered (see above for example Wenvoe library in Wales). This would encourage greater usage.
The Council should take a joined-up approach and bring in colleagues and resources from other Council departments such as education, public health, children and families, adult social care as well as colleagues from health and the voluntary sector to develop the offer at Sanderstead library.
All libraries, as part of extended community hubs, should be open 5 or 6 days a week.
Enhanced library buildings should be used to support the Council to achieve the priorities in its key strategies such as the Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy, Carers Strategy etc.
Local people should be genuinely and actively involved in the oversight of these developments.
For the avoidance of doubt, Sanderstead Residents’ Association (SRA) itself has not expressed an interest in running a community library, nor taking on and running the building if it ceases to be run as a library by the Council.
What Can I Do to Help Save Sanderstead Library?
Write to the Mayor, mayor@croydon.gov.uk; your M.P. chris.philp.mp@parliament.uk;
your Councillors, yvette.hopley@croydon.gov.uk; lynne.hale@croydon.gov.uk; helen.redfern@croydon.gov.uk; and Cllr Stranack (the Cabinet member responsible for libraries) andy.stranack@croydon.gov.uk;
Take part in the consultation, feel free to use our notes above to help formulate your answers: https://www.getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/libraries-services-consultation
Stay in touch with the SRA to let us know your views and see what we are doing to save the library. http://www.sanderstead-residents.co.uk ; follow us on Facebook.
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A history of Sanderstead Library – printed in the Spring edition of Sanderstead News 2024
As our much loved library is under threat of closure again, we thought it would be interesting to look into the history of the library in Sanderstead.
The plot of land where the library sits was originally part of the Sanderstead Estate, owned by the Arkwright family, which was sold in lots by auction in 1919. Lot 9 (which covered quite a large area) was bought by Edward J Revill who is the last named freeholder on the land registry which is a bit of a mystery. If anyone has any more information about him, he was a Councillor in the 1920’s, and/or anything about the development of Farm Fields in the 1930s and the library, then please do let us know. Revill lived at The Gables, Barrowsfield and was heavily involved with the cricket club being a large donor to the pavilion building,.’Villagers – Five Shillings’ by Harley Sherlock says ‘Finally, in 1939, ill-health obliged E J Revill to give up the Presidency; having helped the club with advice, money and encouragement right through the difficult period in the 1920s.
Sanderstead was in the Urban District Council of Coulsdon and Purley in the 1930s. The Minutes of the AGM of the Sanderstead Ratepayers’ Association in November 1934 mention ‘the question of a public library was brought in but owing to the importance of the question and the lateness of the hour, it was decided to call a further public meeting.’ This meeting was held later in the same month and the minutes record that ‘This meeting was called to discuss the question of a public library and as to whether the Council should become its own library authority.’ This was because Surrey County Council ran a County scheme. There were four proposals put forward and overwhelmingly the vote was for ‘to remain within County Library scheme with branch libraries in convenient parts of the area operated by trained assistants and paid for by a different rate.’ This result was submitted to the Council.
The annual report for the year ending 31st December 1935 stated ‘Public Libraries – As announced earlier, the Urban District Council will become its own Public Library Authority from the beginning of April 1936, and Mr J A Skeet, one of our members, has been co-opted to the Libraries Committee. Very soon the various Wards will have their own Public Libraries, that for Sanderstead being opposite the junction of Purley Oaks Road and Sanderstead Hill. It is hoped that the District Chief Librarian, Mr T E Callendar, will give a brief address at our AGM.’ The minutes show that he did indeed address the meeting and answered several questions.
A newspaper article reports a successful £18,695 tender from Messrs Truett and Steel Ltd, of Thornton Heath for the construction and completion of a central library building in Purley, and branch library building at Coulsdon, Kenley and Sanderstead. The tender was ‘subject to the consent of the Ministry of Heath to the necessary loan.’ Truett and Steel built a lot of houses in Sanderstead in the interwar years, for example in Glebe Hyrst.
Another article in 1935 mentions that the Minister of Health proposed to issue the necessary orders granting permission to the Council to erect library buildings on the proposed sites in Kenley and Sanderstead. ‘There were no objections in regard to the site at Kenly, but with regard to the Sanderstead site there were four objections from persons claiming compensation amounting to £1616…. the amount of the award was £110.’
The architects who designed the four libraries were Gold and Aldridge and were in the Moderne style. They were well known in the interwar years for designing libraries. Sanderstead is unusual in that it is the style of an open book with the spine being the main entrance.
The minute book mentions in May 1936 that twelve nominations were requested for invitations to the ceremony in connection with the opening of the library and it was opened by the Lord Mayor on Saturday 23rd May 1936. On the same day the other three libraries were also opened.
The Annual Report for 1936 says ‘these libraries are now in full operation and it is hoped that all residents are deriving full benefit therefrom.’
In 1939 ‘The Advertiser’ ran an article about the AGM which mentioned ‘The work of the libraries’ ‘Councillor Hill said that when the library scheme was contemplated it was estimatated it would cost a twopenny rate. It had been found however that it was costing a three and a quarter penny rate although they would reach the peak of the expenditure on their library loans during this an next years. He did not like the odd farthing but it had been found impossible to lower the cost to threepence. Thirty-one per cent of the population was now using the libraries (applause).’
The magnificent beech tree in the grounds has a TPO on it, and a newspaper article from 1998 about a Bourne Society publication says it is estimated to be over 200 years old.
A sweet gum tree was planted in the grounds of the library in 1951 to commemorate the Festival of Britain. This was donated by Sanderstead Horticultural Society, Sadly the tree did not survive.
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Sanderstead Residents' Association 