THE leader of Wirral Council has accused his Conservative opponents of “playing political games” over their move to force a full council meeting to discuss library closures.

Last week Wirral Council’s ruling cabinet endorsed the announcement by the council leader Steve Foulkes and deputy Simon Holbrook to revoke the closure plans.

Following this the Conservative Group members on Wirral Council called an extraordinary meeting of the council, due to be held next Monday.

The meeting will discuss the decision to abandon plans to shut 11 libraries and invest £20m in 13 Neighbourhood Centres.

But Cllr Foulkes said the meeting was called without consultation with him or Cllr Holbrook, who has a long-standing work appointment and has requested the Mayor change the date of the meeting.

He said: “If I were a cynical person I could believe that they are trying to continue to make political capital out of the issue.

“I have always suspected that the Conservatives motives on this issue were purely political, unlike some members of the public who were genuinely committed to their libraries.

“On the other hand maybe they now want to oppose us keeping the libraries open – I can’t begin to understand their bizarre motives.“