THE latest chapter in the saga of three Swindon libraries was opened last night at a heated council meeting.

Swindon Council’s cabinet voted to close one library and cut staffing at two others despite protests from library users.

The most controversial decision was that to keep open Old Town Library, which led to a split in the cabinet over whether the council was wasting money.

The recommendations from the cabinet, which will go to full council in September, were to keep open Old Town and Even Swindon libraries with one member of staff instead of two.

Volunteers from autistic charity DASH and Farleigh College will help to staff the Old Town facility, while the caretaker at Even Swindon library will help its remaining librarian.

Gorse Hill library will be closed and replaced with a mobile service.

Library supporters spoke passionately about the desire to keep their libraries.

Old Town resident Mary Ratcliffe talked about the importance of branch libraries for older people.

She said: “The small libraries that are threatened with closure are absolutely vital to our divisive community. They cannot be measured in monetary terms.

“Do not deny us our rightful heritage in the field of learning during our later years.”

Terry King and Shirley Burnham, who have both been involved in the campaign to save Old Town library, also spoke out against the council’s plans.

Mr King said any change to Old Town library would damage the community, while Mrs Burnham accused the council of mismanaging its libraries.

But cabinet members hit back at the criticisms during a stormy exchange of views, in which several refused to back plans to keep the Old Town facility open. Coun Peter Greenhalgh (Con, Freshbrook and Grange Park) asked why campaigners hadn’t put their efforts into volunteering at the library, as residents in Walcot have done.

He said: “It is ridiculous to have two libraries so close together – one of which is a £10m building and probably one of the best libraries in the country, the other which is patently failing.

“I think it is a waste of money and the hard decisions we will have to make in the future will see this pale into insignificance.”

Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) agreed, pointing out that West Swindon has just one library and that the cabinet should think of what was best for the town as a whole.

Both councillors as well as Coun Mark Edwards (Con, St Margaret) chose not to support the recommendation to save Old Town library. The recommendations for the other two libraries were accepted unanimously.

The final stamp of approval for the proposals will go to full council on September 24.