WIRRAL Council’s leadership was on the verge of resigning over the government inquiry into its library closure plans.

Deputy council leader Simon Holbrook said senior cabinet members “considered our positions at some length” during a crisis meeting a day before the expected publication of a critical report by inspector Sue Charteris.

According to an email sent by the authority’s director of law, Bill Norman, to Tory leader Jeff Green, the council was told its release was “70% likely” on October 1.

As reported in the Daily Post last month, a meeting was held at the town hall later that night to consider the implications of the report into controversial plans to shut 11 libraries as part of wider plans to review all council assets.

Mr Norman had written to Cllr Green answering a series of questions about how the draft report – given to the council in July for fact-checking and comments – was handled by the authority.

Mr Norman also confirmed senior officers were asked “to be available to provide professional advice”– although they were not present during the late- night meeting of cabinet members.

Asked if they considered resigning, Cllr Holbrook said: “We considered our positions at some length.

“We tried to think through the range of options we had in front of us and came to the view the best thing to do was to withdraw the plan – and we were all agreed on that.”