A 400-STRONG petition urging Bournemouth council to save Ensbury Park Library has been presented to the borough’s cabinet.

Pressure has been mounting on the authority since two of its own councillors suggested a consultation into the service’s future had been 'biased' during a recent scrutiny meeting.

The council has always stated that its preferred option is to relocate the Columbia Road site to a room at the Bournemouth Learning Centre on Ensbury Avenue.

And presenting the signatures at Wednesday's cabinet meeting, campaigner Keith Watson told members he wanted them to be aware of the “overwhelming strength of feeling” against their plans.

“The problems come into four headings – location, size, staffing and library atmosphere,” he said.

“Any one on its own would be a problem. Put the four together and you cannot give a library service to the public, and the council do not get value for money.”

After pointing to the consultation responses, in which 82 per cent of the library’s users indicated opposition to the relocation plans, Mr Watson said the original questionnaire had “withheld facts from the public” and therefore using the data collected would be “incorrect”.

“The consultation document did not give any facts on the loss of the current library,” he said.

Council leader John Beesley said: “This is a consultation process and I have noted the comments that you have made.”

And Cllr Lawrence Williams, cabinet member for tourism, leisure and the arts, said: “The council is now taking time to determine its response to the results, ensuring that the comments and ideas from the consultation, together with relevant statistical and financial information, are thoroughly considered before any future decision is made.”

Cllr Williams said “further due diligence” is being given to the idea of development and of refurbishing the flat space above the library.

“A number of suggestions have been received for generating income as well as proposals for alternative solutions, which will also be investigated,” he added.