CAMPAIGNERS who took Brent Council all the way to High Court in a bid to save six libraries from closure have today lost their landmark legal case.
Back in April the council took the decision to cut half of the libraries in the borough in a £1 million cost cutting exercise.
Disgruntled residents opposed the plans and issued a judicial review in May on the ground that the council had acted unlawfully on a number of points.
They suggested the council had ignored the role which community libraries and groups could play in fulfilling the council's statutory duty to provide a library service, failed to consult effectively, failed to adequately assess local needs and breached the public sector equality duty.
But Mr Justice Ouseley dismissed the claim against the council this morning and found in Brent Council's favour on every point.
The council may have to wait to see if the decision is appealed before pressing on with their initial plans but leader of the council, councillor Ann John, said they would be implemented 'as soon as possible' at a press conference this morning.
Speaking after the result had filtered through to Brent Town Hall she added: "We are pleased that the council has been completely vindicated.
"The judge, having carefully considered all the complaints, has found in Brent Council's favour on each and every point.
"It means that we can now push ahead with our exciting plans to improve Brent's library service and offer a 21st century service for the benefit of all our residents.
"This has been a very unsettling time for libraries staff and I would like to pay tribute to them for being so professional and hard working in continuing to deliver a first rate service to Brent library users, in spite of these difficulties."
She also added that staff were in a meeting this morning to discuss their future but said no compulsory redundancies would be made as those leaving their posts had taken voluntary redundancies.
In a statement issued after the decision was the Save Our Six campaign said: "We are obviously disappointed with the decision given by the judge today. We will be consulting with our lawyers on our legal options. We strongly believe and continue to believe that Brent's decision is wrong and that the manner in which Brent arrived at that decision was unfair. Our campaign to save the libraries in Brent continues because we challenge the idea that Brent can provide a comprehensive library service by closing half the number of libraries in the borough."
Mr Justice Ouseley dismissed their right to appeal the decision, but the Brent SOS Libraries group will now have to consider whether to take the case to the Court of Appeal.
The libraries in Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston, and Tokyngton are those affected by the decision.
