Tories apologise over library closure confusion

The Scottish Conservatives have apologised for causing confusion over the scrapping of proposals to close seven libraries in Moray.

The Tories, who lead the council but do not have a majority, announced on Monday that the plans "won't be taken forward" and the facilities "have been saved".

However, three hours later, an amended statement was sent out, stating that the closure proposals were still on the table but the Tory councillors will not support them.

The SNP described the latest developments as "incredibly chaotic and deeply embarrassing".

A Moray Council spokesperson confirmed that the council as a whole had not made any formal decisions regarding the closures at this time.

Councillors are due to make the final decision early next year after considering the results from a recently-finished public consultation.

Moray is one of several council proposing cuts to library services, along with Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross.

Seven out of 11 Moray libraries were earmarked for closure in a bid to save £275,000 - Burghead, Cullen, Dufftown, Keith, Lossiemouth, Fochabers and Tomintoul.

The Scottish Conservatives have nine of the 26 seats on Moray Council, meaning they need the support of other parties to pass votes.

The initial Tory press release "unintentionally" made it look like the decision to scrap the library closures had been taken by the council as a whole.

In the amended release, Tory council leader Kathleen Robertson said her administration had listened to the "overwhelming opposition" from numerous campaigning groups across Moray.

"Now there is an opportunity to bring forward alternative plans and work with our communities to deliver the library services that they want and meet their needs," she said.

"The council group I lead is committed to supporting local services while also balancing our budget against a tough backdrop," Mrs Robertson added.

The SNP's Karen Adam, the MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, said: "Their announcement of a U-turn on the proposed closures on Monday brought a great sigh of relief to those local communities with whom I have had the pleasure of working."

But she said: "To U-turn on their U-turn mere moments later is at best unprofessional and at worst cruel."

One of the facilities earmarked for closure is Cullen library.

Reacting to the confusion over the council's position, community councillor Les Tarr said: "Residents in Cullen and across Moray deserve better.

"This has not been a sequence of events that put either Moray Council or the Conservative administration in a great light."

As a member of the group Friends of Cullen Library, he was relieved to hear that the council would at least consider alternative options instead of immediately closing the libraries.

"We have to welcome the outreach to the community on alternatives, but need assurances that they will be listened to, and that adequate time is available to allow them to be fruitful," he said.

Friends of Cullen Library, along with campaigners from other parts of Moray, have staged numerous protests to stop the proposed closures.

"For me personally as a community councillor the process has shown me that the community can come together and fight its corner," he said.