CAMPAIGNERS will take their fight to save Swindon’s libraries all the way to the streets of the capital next month when they join a national demonstration against the cuts.

The Save Swindon’s Libraries group will join others from across the UK as they come together in London in support of public libraries, museums and galleries.

On November 5, the Swindon campaign will be taking a coach-load of supporters to take part in the demonstration which starts at the British Library, and will finish at the Houses of Parliament.

Swindon is not the only town in the country facing a threat to its library service - councils up and down the country are reacting to a sharp reduction in central government cuts by seeking savings in their libraries budgets.

However campaigners say many are considering more innovative solutions than Swindon Borough Council’s decision to cut the service from 15 libraries down to just four with a reliance on community groups to keep the rest open.

The consultation on the council’s strategy came to a close last month and a final report will go before the cabinet in December.

Since the end of the consultation, the Save Swindon’s Libraries campaign team has been continuing to canvas opinion among library users and has convened two meetings between campaigners and Swindon’s MPs.

Campaign chairman, Sarah Church, said: “The Freedom of Information request submitted by the campaign asking if any other strategies have been considered has been blocked and there is growing frustration that the council plan will be forced through.

“A scrutiny task group has been established, and this is a welcome development, but the publication of the cabinet paper is due on 29 November 29 for a decision on December 7 - not long off.

“Save Swindon’s Libraries welcomed the recent debate in the House of Lords where the case was well made for safeguarding the library service to prevent social problems associated with low literacy rates.”

Return tickets for the coach to London are only £9 and are available through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-swindons-libraries-campaign-demo-trip-to-london-tickets-28573405826.

Attendees will gather at Los Gatos in Old Town at 9am for coffee and croissants to fuel themselves before their big day in the capital.

They are inviting all Swindon library supporters to join them, either for breakfast, or for the demonstration itself.

The two young winners of the recent ‘Love My Library’ poster competition, run by the campaign, will receive their prizes at the Los Gatos breakfast.