LIBRARY campaigners are celebrating today after an injunction to postpone library closures across Somerset was granted.

The action prevents Somerset County Council from closing fixed libraries or implementing redundancies until a full judicial review hearing takes place in September, which will be brought about jointly with campaigners in Gloucestershire.

The injunction was granted in support of Watchet woman Rebecca Hird, with Public Interest Lawyers representing a number of campaigners who were behind the legal challenge in Somerset.

Watchet campaigner John Irven said: “I am amazed and want to thank all the people of Somerset who have stepped forward to meet this initial demand. We have received pledges from more than 100 individuals together with many Somerset Library Friends Groups as well as support from our near neighbours in Dorset.”

Wellington Cllr Ross Henley added: “The court injunction should act as a wake-up call to the conservatives who run the council.

“The library closure policy is an utter disaster and now faces a judicial review. What will it take for the conservatives to drop this policy?”

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “The County Council welcomes the clarity that the decision of the court now provides, and will, of course, abide by the terms of the interim injunction. “The Council will put forward a robust defence of its proposals for the Libraries Service at the Judicial Review hearing in September, and in the meantime will continue the implementation of plans to reduce the mobile library fleet, as permitted by the court.”