A cultural desert cannot be a successful suburb

Barnet council makes a big deal of Barnet being a "successful suburb". But a successful suburb, in the Tories' book, doesn't need museums, an arts centre, or very many libraries. If the budget cuts they plan go through, that will be the situation in the borough.

The Evening Standard has picked up on the story of the council cutting funding to the Artsdepot. Read the article by their Chief Arts Correspondent Louise Jury here.

Here's an extract:

Barnet councillor Robert Rams defended the decision by stressing how many arts were available half an hour away on the Tube.

Can I just remind people about the demonstration outside Chipping Barnet Conservatives' meeting tonight, where councillor Rams is the guest speaker? 7.30pm, Chipping Barnet Conservative Office, 163 High Street, Barnet EN5 5SU.