A TWO-DAY public inquiry into the proposed closure of 11 Wirral libraries is now underway.

A panel, headed by Sue Charteris, a public consultancy expert specialising in local government and public service reform, opened the inquiry at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton on at 9.30am.

It is expected to conclude on Wednesday night.

The inquiry was announced in April by the then Culture Secretary Andy Burnham after a public outcry over the plans which formed part of Wirral council's strategic asset review.

It followed a much criticised six-week consultation exercise in December.

Addressing the audience of more than 250 people, Ms Charteris said: "I'd like to thank everybody who has provided evidence for this inquiry."

Among those who will address the panel - which also includes representatives from the council, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Richard Clayton QC - is Alec McFadden, from Wirral TUC.

Mr McFadden told the Globe: "I hope that people are going to be listened too.

"The people of Wirral have spoken and I'm hoping that this inquiry, which culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has taken over, will take on board what is said.

"I've got very, very high expectations.

"What we have in Wirral is madness by a bunch of politicians who've got a majority.

"They are using this majority in an undemocratic way and have ignored the people of Wirral."

Don McCubbin, a campaigner for Irby Library, told the Globe: "I hope that Sue Charteris manages to see what the council cannot see; that is that Wirral actually needs community libraries and not centralised services.

"The opposition to this is extremely strong in Irby.

"For example, on February 7 we had 250 Irby residents turn out to the library for a councillor's surgery.

"When Sue Charteris saw a photograph of that she commented that she'd never seen a councillor's surgery like it."