LIBRARIES will start to close on Wirral in just three weeks.

Wirral Council has finally revealed its timetable for the controversial closure of eleven libraries.

The shut down programme will take place over four months.

In the first wave, Higher Bebington, New Ferry, Ridgeway and Wallasey Village libraries will shut on April 6.

Phase two of the closures will see Irby, Prenton and Seacombe libraries close on May 4.

Beechwood, Eastham, Hoylake and Woodchurch libraries are staying open until July 4.

A council spokeswoman said: "A dedicated team has been established to implement the closures, including the transfer of book stock and the removal of IT equipment from other libraries.

"Meetings are taking place with staff affected by the closures to discuss the re-structure of the service and the options that are available to them, such as early retirement, voluntary severance or redeployment."

The closures - in order to cut costs - are all part of the council's strategic asset review, supported by the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition who hold power in Wallasey Town Hall.

Commenting on the announcement that Wallasey Village Library will close in April and Seacombe library in May, Wallasey Conservative Cllr Leah Fraser said: "This is the price the council is happy to pay for gaining an extra 'star' from the Government.

"None of our libraries should be closing - so many communities depend on them for adult literacy, IT and, very often, just a chat and a gossip for some of our older residents.

"If the council thinks that by staggering the closures over the course of several weeks they will weaken the opposition to the asset review, they are mistaken.

"I shall be at Wallasey Village and Seacombe libraries on the day this council closes them and I shall be there again on the day when a new Conservative Council reopens them."

West Wirral MP Stephen Hesford has complained about the closure programme to the Local Government Ombudsman, and his parliamentary Wirral South colleague Ben Chapman is to present a petition to save Eastham library to the Commons.