A WAR of words is expected at the Civic Offices this evening over new plans for libraries across Swindon.

Swindon Council’s cabinet will vote on planned changes to three libraries, but Labour councillors are determined to fight to the end.

As the Adver revealed last week, the proposals are to cut staff numbers at Old Town and Even Swindon libraries and replace the Gorse Hill facility with a mobile service.

Coun John Ballman (Lab, Gorse Hill and Pinehurst) said the Tory administration should have taken note of Labour’s alternative budget, which he claims would have saved the libraries.

He said: “We are very disappointed at the recommendation to close our library, but we’re not surprised.

“We felt from the beginning that the Conservatives were not really listening to either ourselves or the people of Gorse Hill.

“We not only showed how money could be found to fund the library well into the future, but we also commissioned a professionally-run survey that clearly showed that more than 70 per cent of local residents supported keeping the library in the Community Centre.

Our proposals wouldn’t have affected the Council Tax by a single penny.”

Coun Ballman went on to say that the council should be looking at introducing new technology and expanding library usage instead of closures.

He said: “The Tories budget cut £92,000 from the libraries service.

Closing our library will save around £12,000 of that. There are still a lot of savings to find.

“Communities across Swindon must be looking at their libraries and thinking who’s next?”

Deputy leader and cabinet member in charge of libraries, Coun Fionuala Foley, said: “I’m sure John would agree that the library is in the wrong place.

“A mobile service would be able to deliver books to the heart of the community in Gorse Hill.

“Anyone from Gorse Hill or from any other area who would like to talk to me about this is welcome to get in touch.”

Coun Foley also denied that other branch libraries were under threat.

She said: “There are no plans to reprovision any other libraries. I have visited all 16 of our libraries and I am satisfied that won’t be necessary.”

If passed by cabinet and full council, the changes would come into force from September.

Old Town and Even Swindon would drop from two permanent staff members to one. Volunteers from Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness (DASH) and Farleigh College will help to staff Old Town library, while the caretaker of Even Swindon Community Centre would help to staff that facility.

The cabinet meeting will be held from 6pm at the Civic Offices, Euclid Street.