Final chapter as closure dates are set for Wirral libraries THE first of Wallasey’s two library closures will take place in less than three weeks, Wirral Council has confirmed.
The axe will fall on Wallasey Village Library on April 4, with Seacombe Library following a month later, on May 2.
The final swathe of closures will take place two months later, on July 4, when Beechwood, Hoylake, Eastham and Woodchurch Libraries close their doors for the final time.
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Simon Holbrook said he and fellow politicians had “no involvement in the timing”, adding that the dates had been “determined by operational demands”.
Wallasey Village Library will be joined by three other facilities from across the borough, Higher Bebington, New Ferry and Ridgeway, as the first to cease operations.
But protesters , active since the council’s Strategic Asset Review (SAR) placed a final total of 11 libraries under threat in the autumn, reacted angrily to the revelations and vowed to fight on.
Liscard’s Conservative councillor, Leah Fraser vowed to reopen the affected libraries, if her party gains control of the council in 2010.
Leah Fraser said: “I shall be at Wallasey Village and Seacombe libraries on the day this council closes them and I shall be there again on the day when a new Conservative council reopens them.”
But Wallasey MP Angela Eagle said “it’s important not to get too worried about individual buildings” and criticised the Conservatives for “grandstanding from the sidelines”.
The Treasury minister told the News: “The Labour group were brave enough to take on being in minority control of the council, when the Conservatives could have taken control and didn’t.
“They are grandstanding from the sidelines, while they hope all the difficult decisions are got over by other people.”
Wirral Council says it has established a “dedicated team” to implement the closures.
THE WIRRAL NEWS