LIBERAL Democrats will be united when they come to vote on controversial plans to axe libraries in Wirral next week, their leader said last night.
And Lib-Dem leader Cllr Simon Holbrook warned he would not allow the battle between some of Wirral’s Labour MPs and councillors to result in “collateral damage” to his party.
He said despite his party’s differences over the Strategic Asset Review (SAR) they will be united at the next full meeting of the council on Monday.
The party appeared to be in major difficulties over recent months when deep splits emerged between those in favour of the SAR and those opposing it.
The SAR would see 11 libraries shut across the borough, along with other cultural facilities transferred out of council ownership. The proposals have come under particular fire from Labour MPs Stephen Hesford and Ben Chapman.
However, they were put on hold earlier this month when culture minister Andy Burnham announced a public inquiry.
A total of six Lib-Dems faced disciplinary proceedings from their party at the weekend, with four given written warnings over their decision to vote against the leadership.
At a meeting of the full council next week a Conservative notice of motion criticising the SAR threatened to re-establish these divisions.
But Cllr Holbrook said an amendment to this had been agreed unanimously by his group.
The amendment would remove all critical elements of the notice, to be replaced with wording “welcoming” the inquiry and “provide a further opportunity for public scrutiny of the SAR.
Cllr Holbrook said those in his group who supported the SAR “welcome that here is an opportunity to put our case to an independent person”.
Cllr Holbrook accused the government of “incoherence” between its departments and said: “The fact he [Burnham] came to this so late in the day is regrettable, I hope this is not some kind of power play between Labour MPs and councillors.
“I would be concerned if that was the case – I do not want be affected by collateral damage and I will not allow that.
“I do not want this to turn into a political show trial.”
