A HIGH Court was told that cuts to library services in Gloucestershire are unacceptable and will hit vulnerable people the hardest.

The three-day hearing, which took place in Birmingham last week, was a response to the proposed closure of 10 libraries across the county and further cuts to services.

Judge Justice McKenna heard evidence from Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries (FOGL) and Gloucestershire County Council, which has earmarked the libraries for closure to help save £114million by 2014.

The judicial review was lodged by an anonymous Gloucestershire resident opposed to the cuts.

Helen Mountfield QC, speaking for FOGL, accused the council of ignoring residents, suggesting that the cabinet finalised its decision on the library cuts more than a week before the public consultation ended.

She also told the court that the council had not made the consultation responses public, like it should have.

"It is not rocket science to know issues likely to need serious regard are access problems to other libraries," she said.

"Or to realise old, young and disabled people are likely to be disproportionately affected if travel times between libraries is increased."

But James Goudie, speaking on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “The legal focus isn’t, in Gloucestershire’s case, on a reduction from 37 to 27 libraries.

"The question is clearly is whether 27 libraries is enough to be comprehensive. The libraries that have been retained cover 80 per cent of users and the other 20 per cent can use the libraries that remain.

"The Gloucestershire claimants' case appears to be that there should be a static library in less than two miles of everyone’s home."

He pointed out that less than one fifth of the population of Gloucestershire had borrowed a book from a library over the past 12 months and urged the court to put aside emotions and make a decision based on the legal facts of the case.

Earlier this year, a High Court injunction was granted meaning the libraries will remain open until the outcome of the hearing, which is expected later this year.

Library users in Wotton-under-Edge and Berkeley have already said they would look to run their libraries as community enterprises, should the council close them or cut services significantly. But they are awaiting the response of the High Court judge before steaming ahead with these plans, in the hope that they will be saved.