However, campaigners for Woodchurch leisure centre – who were the most vocal of the groups battling against the closure of their facility – were celebrating after the council made a U-turn and said the centre would be retained.

There was also a partial victory for those wanting to save Guinea Gap swimming baths in Wallasey, which the council said it would keep open for the next two years and then review again.

Upton and Pensby libraries will be saved – with the services of a range of other libraries transferred there – while discussions will now start about local groups taking over the running of community halls and other facilities from the council.

Wirral Museum in the former Birkenhead town hall building will close, while commercial operators will be sought for the Wirral Transport Museum and the Pacific Road Arts Centre in Birkenhead

After the meeting, Tory opposition leader Jeff Green said the ruling group had “lost the plot.”

But Cllr Foulkes defended the council’s actions, saying: “My over-riding responsibility is with the council tax payer and the level of council tax they have to pay.

“If I was to be run over by a bus, the problems would still be there for somebody else. What we can’t do is ignore them, and I never will.”

He said: “I hope this passion that’s been created by local people will be directed into running these new facilities.”

After the meeting, Cllr Foulkes said: “We can’t please all the people all the time, but my biggest obligation is to the level of council tax.”

The decision last night will still need to be ratified at a full council meeting.

alanweston