Rallying cry to Dorset library campaigners

CAMPAIGNERS are sending a rallying cry to supporters for a final push to save nine Dorset libraries.

Tim Lee, deputy chairman of the campaign group Ad Lib, is calling for people to lobby their county councillors before a vote on the libraries in Dorchester on Thursday.

He also wants as many people as possible to gather at the front entrance of County Hall before 10am when the Dorset County Council meeting starts.

The move comes after county councillor for Colehill and Stapehill Janet Dover invoked a rarely-used motion to rescind a decision made at the July meeting that would cut funding to nine out of Dorset's 34 libraries.

She is hoping that a new vote on the issue would see councillors supporting an alternative option that would retain all the libraries.

The vote to cut funding to nine libraries - Stalbridge, Colehill, Puddletown, Wool, Corfe Castle, Charmouth, Chickerell, Burton Bradstock and Portland Underhill - was won by one vote. The nine libraries would be offered to their communities to be run by volunteers or be closed.

Mr Lee said the 10th November meeting was an opportunity to reverse that decision and save money by other cost-cutting measures including reducing the book fund.

He said: "There is every hope that the decision will be reversed.

"It's important that people lobby their councillor and that as many people as possible gather on the steps of County Hall before the meeting."

He said there were doubts about how much money the closures would save and the campaigners also challenged the findings of a questionnaire, used as part of public consultation.

Dee Adcock