The London Action Resource Centre is a cooperatively owned and run building dedicated to the furthering of social justice and environmental issues, locally, nationally and globally. We believe this is done through direct action, refusing to be a spectator or waiting for someone else to do it for us. It is about taking back power and realising our potential to bring about change.
This is an anti-capitalist, non-hierarchical space. No one is “in charge” so making it work is down to all of us. The aim is to create a safe supportive and non-threatening space without discrimination or oppression towards others. In fact we seek actively to overcome such prejudice.
We believe that respect for the planet goes hand in hand with respect for its people, so wherever possible, we’re trying to reduce the impact the building has on the planet. That means taking care to save as much energy as possible (and even generating our own at some stage), using ecological building materials, and generally working to reduce, reuse and recycle what we can.
Users of the building are asked to contribute to making it work by helping out physically on a regular basis such as washing up and cleaning, especially the toilets.We will also have to share the responsibility for raising enough money to keep the doors open.
Regular monthly LARC User Group meetings happen on the first Wednesday of each month from 7:30pm are open to all. The meeting takes collective responsibility for LARC and user groups are asked to attend and actively contribute to these meetings.
Anyone using or visiting the building is asked to agree to the principles laid out above and in the “LARC Users” agreement and to generally contribute to make it a success.
People actively working against these principles may be asked to stop using the building.
PROCEDURE FOR USING SPACES IN LARC:
• Anyone wishing to have use of a space in LARC must write a note in the diary which can be found in the office upstairs
• The diary on our website is purely for advertising purposes only, putting things up there does not constitute a booking
PROCEDURE FOR NEW GROUPS WISHING TO HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS IN LARC:
• Groups wishing to use LARC on a regular basis must attend a LARC user group meeting and propose their use of the space.
• If consensus is achieved in the LARC user group meeting, any new user-group is expected to:
- Agree on sending a representative to attend monthly meeting
- Accept user group agreement
- Contribute to upkeep
- Understand that there is a 3 month / 3 meeting attendance probationary period before they are issued with keys
- Volunteer the name of one (for small groups) or two (for bigger groups) people on the larc@lists.aktivix.org organising list who will forward relevant emails to their group/read email list and respond accordingly
- Understand that failing to abide by the above will result in possible revocation of rights to building/key-ownership rights etc.
PROCEDURE FOR ONE-OFF GATHERINGS/MEETINGS:
• All gatherings need to be discussed at user group meetings
• A representative must come to the user group meeting before their event, if nobody can attend they must find a regular LARC user group to make their proposal for them
• A contribution must be made to LARC funds, a reasonable donation for the size and length of meeting is expected
• When booking the space for an extended period and/or booking multiple spaces, the meeting-proposer needs to come to the meeting offering a reasonable donation in advance
• Note: crash space will not provided unless under emergency circumstances (see below)
PROCEDURE FOR EMERGENCY MEETINGS:
• Emergency meetings must be booked by existing LARC user-group, these must be noted in the diary
• Donations are welcome.
• If it is to become a regular meeting, a meeting-proposer needs to attend the next monthly LARC user-group meeting.
BENEFIT GIGS / FUNDRAISERS:
• The group proposing the gig must attend meetings both before & after their benefit
• For groups that do not habitually use LARC a deposit of £30 will be expected to book a one-off gig.
• The proposing-group is expected to make a donation of the proceeds to LARC
• The proposing-group is responsible for cleanup (leave it better or just as you found it)
• All music to stop by 12 midnight, the building is to be cleaned, cleared and shut by 1am
• Proposing-group must have a keyholder who is happy to attend gig and lock up building.
• Proposing-group should be aware that noise is an issue and LARC is part of a residential community as well as a political community that relies on the space. With this in mind:
- Amplification must be appropriate to the size of the building and the
community it exists in
- Security is an issue, LARC doesn’t provide security, people putting
on benefits need to maintain control
- Security provisions must be made appropriate to expected audience
- Respect and care must be taken of building spaces & contents thereof
CRASH SPACE:
• LARC is not a crash space and will not to be used as such.
• In exceptional circumstances it may be considered.
• Guests are subject to prior approval & referral
• Responsibility for people crashing here lies with those that refer them
• Notification must be sent to the list and booked into LARC diary if people are crashing, indicating who is “sponsoring” them and
opening/closing the building for them.
• The phone number of the person arranging access must be given.
BASEMENT:
• When not in use should be kept locked (especially for gatherings/benefit gigs)
• When booking the basement, it must be put it in the diary (even for banner and prop making) and people abide by the above rules
• Things can only be stored in the basement with consensus of the LARC user groups
KITCHEN:
• Everyone must clear their food away or take it with them (good intentions are nice but it becomes a problem)
• Don’t leave food out uncovered
• Clean up your dishes
• Take out your rubbish
TOILETS:
• Clean them – it doesn’t matter who made the mess
• Identify location of cleaning products
• Petty cash is available to pay people back for cleaning products purchased
LIBRARY:
• Library should remain locked when not in use
• Library is open Mon, Wed, Thurs 2-4
• If people want to use the projector they must book the library as well as the main hall
• After using the projector, books, leads, equipment in library, it all needs putting away neatly
Smoking:
• We have general no smoking policy – during meetings people should go outside, at gigs people can go upstairs
UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR / EXLUSION POLICY
• The content of this user group agreement sets down what is expected of LARC users, behaviour that goes against these expectations can result in sanction.
• People should be informed why their behaviour is unacceptable and given the opportunity to change
• This must be a space that doesn’t facilitate people feeling uncomfortable
• If people are asked to leave from a specific event/meeting and there is a feeling that they should no longer be welcomed then their exclusion from LARC should be raised at the next LARC user-group meeting
• A separate safer spaces policy is to be devised and distributed.
SECURITY
• Keep shutter down when space is not in use
• Don’t leave the front door open when it is unattended
• When leaving the building you must FULLY lock up (including shutter)
• Benefit gigs need a LARC key-holder to provide access and make sure the building gets closed properly
KEYS:
• Keys for LARC are granted to groups that regularly use the building
• Keys are only given to groups/individuals who sign up to this user group agreement
• Smaller groups will be issued with 1 set of keys, larger/very regular groups can be given 2 sets
• Additional sets are available but must be paid for
LARC EMAIL LISTS:
• All new user groups need to have at least one person on the list
• Responsibility for the info@londonarc address is to be rotated on a regular basis
WEBSITE:
• The website diary is for advertising purposes only, to book an event, see procedure above