Library campaigners plan court action over closures | Books | The Guardian

Libraries across the country are at risk of cuts as councils are told to reduce spending. Photograph: Martin Godwin

Campaign groups are drawing up plans to take the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and his minister Ed Vaizey to court over the closure of more than 400 public libraries.

They accuse Hunt and Vaizey, whose portfolio includes libraries, of flouting their legal duty to promote the service.

At least one campaign group is thought to be in discussion with Matrix Chambers, where Cherie Booth is a barrister.

The groups cite the 1964 Museums and Public Libraries Act, which states that it is the duty of the culture secretary to "superintend and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities".

In Somerset, 11 out of 34 libraries are threatened with closure, while in Oxfordshire 20 out of 43 could close. In Lewisham, south London, five out of 12 libraries are under threat.

Vaizey told the Commons on Tuesday that "the death of libraries had been greatly exaggerated".

Steve Ross, a former solicitor from Somerset, said campaigners would be applying for a judicial review. "The action will be taken in the name of children from around the country," Ross said.

Richard Stevens, a solicitor and councillor in Oxfordshire, where Cameron and Vaizey have their constituencies, called for a public inquiry or a judicial review. "We could be left with a decimation of the library service nationally with nobody taking responsibility," he said.

A study by Tim Coates, former managing director of Waterstone's and a fervent libraries campaigner, estimates that the library service wastes millions of pounds on bureaucracy. He believes closures would be unnecessary if wastage was curtailed.

A spokesman for Hunt and Vaizey said: "We take our duty to superintend the delivery of [library] services … very seriously."

But even supporters of the government have doubts. Martha Lane Fox, the founder of lastminute.com who was appointed by David Cameron digital champion, has tweeted in support of the Save Our Libraries day of action next month. She has also highlighted a speech by the author Philip Pullman criticising local government cuts.

A Labour source said: "When even his own champions are turning against the cuts even David Cameron must know he is going too far and too fast"

Meanwhile, the School Library Service is disappearing fast because many schools are cutting spending, it has emerged.

It is to close in Birmingham, Sutton, south-west London, and in Greenwich, south-east London. Over the past year, the service has closed in Cambridgeshire, Kent and Southwark in south London.

Tricia Adams, director of the association, said pupils in small schools would suffer most. "Many primaries only have a few books in their reading corner. They don't have the resources to help children with projects."

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