Question to the Leader of Northumberland County Council, what services will you be delivering to to the people of Northumberland at the next election ?
Communities anxiously awaiting a council decision over the future of their libraries yesterday branded the consultation process "shambolic".
Northumberland County Council is due to decide the fate of 12 libraries across the county at a meeting on Monday.
But last night campaigners in the communities once again slammed the council for what they called a farcical consultation which had failed to listen to the views of the public.
Protesters in Corbridge handed in a 1,600 signature petition to Mike Scullion, executive member for libraries, at County Hall yesterday.
Audrey Graham, who collected the signatures said: "Although the county council claim otherwise this is clearly a cost-cutting exercise and unfortunately I think the petition will have very little influence on their decision."
Kielder Parish Council chairman Barry Noble confirmed last night that he had sent a letter to the Local Government Ombudsman complaining about the consultation.
He said: "It's absolutely farcical. It's quite clear to us that officers in the Library Service simply don't know what they're doing.
"They're recommending that our library closes within the next six months, but only days ago we had a visit from technicians who were measuring up to install £12,000 worth of new computers."
The 12 libraries under threat are Wylam, Corbridge, Ellington, Kielder, Haydon Bridge, Lynemouth, Seaton Sluice, Hadston, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Cowpen, Newsham and South Beach in Blyth.
Recommendations to the meeting include keeping branches at Wylam and Seaton Sluice open, and replacing services at Cowpen, Hadston and Lynemouth with a community collection, where people can browse, order and collect books.
Council officers have also suggested replacing Newsham library with a mobile service and handing over the running of Corbridge, Haydon Bridge, Heddon-on-the-Wall and South Beach to the parish council and community.
The Journal understands the plan for Kielder has changed from a mobile service to a community collection at the village school as a result of comments from villagers, but the county council would not confirm this last night.
A spokesman said: "Recommendations have been published but may still be subject to amendments in light of views from communities."
Earlier this week The Journal featured Marguerite Gracey, head of libraries at the county council, who said that the changes would bring about improvements. But Mr Noble said: "Mrs Gracey is treating us disgracefully.
"How can she possibly claim that the closure of our library in favour of a visit from a mobile library will be an improvement.
"This is ludicrous nonsense and we intend to fight these proposals in every possible way."
Peter Jackson, Castle Morpeth councillor for Heddon-on-the-Wall, said the community feels helpless against yet another service loss. He added: "The consultation has been completely shambolic and everyone feels very let down by the county council."
Mrs Gracey said the committee would consider the Corbridge petition and added: "These proposals are all about increasing people's access to library provision, not about restricting it.
"We already know 79% of people in these communities are not active users and this is all about enabling more people to access a range of facilities."
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