Communities across North East Fife have vowed to fight to keep their libraries open.
Eleven members of Fife Council’s executive committee recently voted to approve Fife Cultural Trust’s plans to close 16 libraries across the kingdom six of them in North East Fife.
However, community groups have joined forces to object to the closures and will consider taking legal action against Fife Council if necessary.
A spokesperson for the cross-community group said the affected communities including Freuchie, Lundin Links, Colinsburgh, Crail and Pittenweem were united in their belief the executive committee took its decision based on incomplete and flawed information, and that a public consultation exercise conducted jointly by Fife Council and the cultural trust had been seriously mishandled.
He said: “We are pleased the executive committee decision has now been ‘called in’ for further examination to the next meeting of the council’s education, health and social care scrutiny committee on January 5 but disappointed to discover that the council’s procedures mean that we will be denied the chance to speak in person at the meeting.
“Nevertheless, we will be making detailed written submissions to committee members in advance of this meeting.
“Individually, some communities might have thought that the fight was over, but really the battle has just begun and we’ll be doing everything we can to stop these precious local resources from being lost.”
North East Fife MP Stephen Gethins said: “The closure of local libraries will be devastating for so many areas and I will continue to support the groups fighting to oppose the plans.”