CAMPAIGNERS are begging Darlington Borough Council to defer its final decision on the closure of the historic Crown Street Library.

On Wednesday (June 29), councillors will make a final decision on the contentious Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

Under the plan, the town’s public services face devastating cuts, with the mobile library and Cockerton Library facing closure while resources from Crown Street Library would be moved to the Dolphin Centre.

Today, the Community Libraries Steering Group (CLSG) urged the council to delay its decision.

Chair Gemma McDonald said: “At this late stage there are so many unanswered questions in terms of the potential risks of the library service moving to the Dolphin Centre, including the risk that the Dolphin Centre may be unviable in the future.

“We call upon the council to defer the library decision until a full range of options for Crown Street and the Dolphin Centre are fully considered, costed and risk assessed.

“The speed of this decision does not make sense in the context of the significance of the library service at Crown Street to the people of Darlington, and the huge proposed capital expenditure, saddling the town with 25 years of debt repayments.”

The council is expected to progress with its decision making during a full council meeting at the Town Hall from 6pm on Wednesday.

A protest organised by the Friends of the Libraries will take place from 4pm outside the venue.