WIRRAL Council faces being reported to the Local Government Ombudsman if it presses ahead with the controversial closure of libraries across the borough.
Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford said he is compiling a report on the events of recent weeks following the announcement by the authority that it plans to close 11 libraries, plus two museums and leisure centres.
Since then the council has backtracked on a handful of the original proposals included in the Strategic Asset Review (SAR), but enraged some of its own supporters by announcing the closures of Eastham and Woodchurch libraries which had not been part of the original consultation.
Mr Hesford’s comments also come as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was alerted to Wirral Council’s proposals for the libraries.
A spokeswoman for the DCMS said: “The Secretary of State will keep this matter under consideration and will watch closely for the outcomes of the decisions taken and the challenges to those decisions.”
But Mr Hesford said the campaigns to get people to sign up with their libraries in his constituency had proved successful in reversing some of the original closures, although Irby and Hoylake libraries remain under threat.
Wirral Council is due to meet on Monday to consider the cabinet decision which was announced last month.
Mr Hesford said: “There are problems with the process and the decision and if this is not further reviewed by the council I will be going to the Ombudsman.
“That is a serious review, but it depends what the council does next Monday. I’m rather hopeful I will not have to do this.”
The three parties on the authority have been holding group meetings this week, and must make any amendments or objections to the SAR by today for them to be able to be considered at the full council meeting.
Last week it was revealed in the Daily Post that serious splits were emerging within the Lib Dem group, who form part of a joint administration with Labour.
The Conservatives have said they will be making a formal objection to the proposals, calling for the SAR to be halted and for the authority to look at a new plan to retain those services under threat.
Council leaders said the SAR would save the authority £3.1m and keep down council tax bills, and would include £20m investment in new or modernised “hubs” built at key locations across the borough providing a range of council services.
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