CAMPAIGNERS are preparing a last-ditch protest against library closures as councillors go to the vote tomorrow.

Nine of the county’s 34 Libraries could lose funding from Dorset County Council as the authority seeks to save £800,000.

The full council meeting will see the final decision after months of campaigning from library supporters with members set to decide between two options.

The first proposal, which has been backed by council officers, will see the council withdraw its core funding to nine libraries, which will then be offered support to run themselves as community facilities.

The alternative proposal, supported by the library campaign group Ad Lib (the Association of Friends of Dorset Libraries), involves retaining all 34 libraries and making cuts across the service to achieve the savings target.

Ad Lib campaigners will be taking to the steps of County Hall ahead of the meeting and two members will address councillors before the vote.

The group says it is encouraged by a suggestion that the decision will be a free vote, rather than see councillors voting according to party directions.

Chairman Graham Lee said: “We are hugely encouraged by the news that there will be a free vote.

“We have known throughout this long fight that several Conservative councillors are unhappy about the loss of these smaller libraries.

“They didn’t want the county’s library service to put all its eggs into the basket of the bigger town’s libraries.

“Now we know they’ll be able to follow their consciences and vote with their hearts we hope we can save the threatened libraries.”

The nine libraries that face losing funding are Burton Bradstock, Charmouth, Chickerell, Colehill, Corfe Castle, Portland Underhill, Puddletown, Stalbridge and Wool.

Chairman of the Friends of Puddletown Library, Mike Chaney, who will be one of the two Ad Lib speakers at the meeting, was also encouraged by the prospect of a free vote.

He said: “It gives us the only hope we have got really because there is an official recommendation that we lose nine libraries.

“But quite a number of the administration at County Hall have told us that they are unhappy with the idea of closing libraries and this gives them a chance to break ranks.”

Mr Chaney said he did not want to consider the future for Puddletown library if the vote goes against Ad Lib tomorrow.

AdLib claims are misleading

DORSET County Council’s head of community services claims Ad Lib is being ‘misleading’ by claiming the authority wants to get rid of nine libraries.

Paul Leivers said: “It is misleading for AdLib to say that council bosses want to get rid of nine libraries.

“A careful and detailed analysis has been undertaken, and two options have been put forward by the cabinet for consideration at Thursday’s meeting of the county council. One is to retain libraries but with a significant reduction in expenditure, for example, on the book fund and on staff.

“The other option is to consolidate into a smaller number of retained libraries while encouraging local communities, with the support of the county council, to take on responsibility for others.

“This option would also involve a reduction in expenditure on the book fund and on staff.”