Calls for speedy Wirral libraries inquiry

Apr 6 2009 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

The closures have drawn widespread criticism across Wirral, with Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford urging the Local Government Ombudsman to intervene, and Wirral South’s Ben Chapman, MP, presenting petitions in Parliament.

A library worker, who asked to remain anonymous, welcomed the Secretary of State’s intervention, but said uncertainty remained for the staff’s future.

He said: “Some of us were going to move to other libraries, some were taking redundancy, but they’re not now. We don’t know what is going to happen. We were told by the head of service. It was all very last minute.”

Cllr Kirwan said the minister’s intervention amounted only to “a stay of execution”.

Wirral Conservative leader Jeff Green, whose party had pledged to re-open any facilities which are closed, said: “The public have shown how committed they are to these services, but this administration has rode roughshod over them.”