CAMPAIGNERS are preparing to spend as much as half a million pounds on a court bid to quash Moray Council’s decision to axe seven libraries.
They believe the local authority may have broken the law by pulling the plug on lending services.
And they will try to obtain an order preventing the council from shutting the libraries during what could be a two-year legal battle.
The Save our Libraries Moray campaign group unveiled its plans at a press conference at the Laich Moray Hotel in Elgin yesterday.
The group’s chairman, Alistair Jeffs, said: “It’s a sad day when we are forced to make a legal challenge against the council administration that should be representing and protecting us.
“But this decision is based on a sure belief that our case is a compelling one.
“We strongly believe the administration has broken the law, and that belief is supported by legal advice.”
In September, administration councillors voted to defy the advice of their own officials and shut all seven libraries earmarked for closure. Council officers had recommended reprieving the lending services at Burghead, Cullen and Dufftown, but they, with those at Findochty, Hopeman, Portknockie and Rothes, and a mobile library, are all due to close at the end of this month. But campaigners are now seeking an interim interdict to keep them open past that date.
Later this week, the group will also choose one member from its ranks, who will act as its representative in an application for legal aid.
Mr Jeffs said: “The costs may be as much as £500,000 because the case could run on for a couple of years. Although we’re confident of getting legal aid, we’re aware that this is a very large sum which will ultimately come from taxpayers’ pockets.
“But we are now united in the belief that there remains only one road available to us, and that is to take our case to the Court of Session. The council administration will not listen to requests from individuals, our community groups, our community councils, our MSPs, our MP, or the Scottish Parliament to keep the libraries open.”
The campaigners say their legal advice outlines several grounds on which the council decision could be challenged. These include a breach of the Equalities Act 2010 and a failure to consult properly with the public.
Mr Jeffs said: “We feel that such is the gravity of the situation, the legal challenge will prove to be a test case for the whole of Scotland.
“Whatever it takes, whatever it costs, the administration will be subject to the law and democratic will of the people of Moray.” Local authority leader, Councillor Allan Wright, said: “Naturally, we will await the outcome of any judicial review, but let me remind people that we are in very straitened times.
“Some services, such as care for the elderly, the vulnerable and schools have to be protected at the cost of others. This is what people told us when we consulted on this budget.
“No authority can afford a Rolls Royce library service any more, and we feel we would have an adequate provision in place following the reduction of libraries.”
Closing the lending services is expected to save the council £357,000.