LIBRARY campaigners have called Bolton Council’s reasons behind the move to close five branches as “flawed”.

They spoke out after holding an emergency meeting when the decision to close the libraries was revealed by The Bolton News.

Members of the Save Bolton’s Libraries campaign say they have refused to rule out taking legal action over the “bungled” decision, or asking for the Government to step in to prevent the closures.

Bolton Council’s decision- making Executive voted to close five of the borough’s libraries — Astley Bridge, Castle Hill, Heaton, Highfield and Oxford Grove — in a bid to save £400,000.

But campaigners claim the council’s methodology and figures used to formulate the plan are flawed.

Roland Stannard, a member of the campaign’s committee, said: “We are deeply concerned about the flawed decision-making process based on a single table of statistics buried deep inside a 75- page report.

“Several of the objective criteria which the council said last February it would be using to make the decision, such as GCSE qualifications of local residents, were left out of the table altogether.

“Others, including the number of libraries within a 20 minute journey time, were given double weighting without any reasoned justification.

“It leaves the council open to the accusation that the figures were rigged to obtain a preordained result.”

Leader of Bolton Council Cllr Cliff Morris said: “I can assure people that the figures have not been rigged, and officers have taken their time over the figures.

“The proposals are out for consultation for the second time, and if they can prove the figures are wrong they will be re-adjusted.”

Cllr Morris said that to keep the libraries would mean cuts in other services.

He added: “I have to find £60 million of savings and balance the books. No-one is coming forward and saying where the money can be found.

“I’ve tried to be fair and keep a comprehensive library service.”

A six-week consultation on the proposal to close the five libraries, and provide a “tiered”

offering across the remaining 10 branches —including the Central Library which could open Sundays — is currently under way.

For more information, or to take part, bolton.gov.uk/libraries before midnight on September 16.