A WIRRAL MP has taken his case against the council’s controversial cost-cutting plans to a government ombudsman.

Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford presented a 103-page dossier outlining his arguments against Wirral Council’s planned library closures to the Local Government Ombudsman on Friday.

After making his “mercy dash” over the planned closure of libraries in Irby, Woodchurch and Hoylake, he said: “It was important to personally present the case before the cuts are rammed through in the budget.

“Time is of the essence here. I had to make a mercy dash so it can be looked at as soon as possible.”

Details in the broader analysis of the report claim that the council’s “strategic asset review” - which in total plans to close 11 of Wirral’s 24 libraries and remove support for a swathe of community centres and village halls, museums and leisure centres - is an excessive response “to what began life as a reasonably sedate review of buildings” which “got out of control”.

He also claims the review was linked to keeping the council tax rise for 2008-09 to around 4%. “This however is not a lawful approach,” said Mr Hesford.

Amongst other criticisms Mr Hesford accuses the SAR of being “unlawfully prejudicial and budget led,” “incompetently designed,” “maladministered and woefully inadequate”.

“The meeting was very successful - the ombudsman understood the basis for the report,” he said.

“No other authority has ever tried to close so many services overnight and we have to argue that this is one of the reasons why the SAR is so bad.”

Concentrating on Wirral West facilities of Hoylake, Irby and Woodchurch, his report claims that Hoylake and Irby libraries did not get a fair hearing.

It states that Meols’ residents will no longer be within two miles of a static library as per the national public library standards.

The report also claims the reprovision proposals are vague and could leave Hoylake and Irby without provisions indefinitely.

Regarding Woodchurch library, he claims it was never part of the original closure programme, but has ended up being closed and has put that down to being “budgetary”, and was sacrificed in place of Upton library which was saved in the review.

“This cannot be right,” said Mr Hesford. “Libraries cannot close because of simple financial expediency.

“It’s important that people involved come forward with their individual stories, so that I can pass them on to the ombudsman.

“It may take some time to get the overall verdict but ultimately we are making progress.”

If you wish to contact Mr Hesford with how the SAR has directly affected you in Wirral West then email hesfords@parliament.uk or write to his office at 140 Ford Road, Upton CH49 0TQ.