Confusion reigns over the future of 20 threatened libraries despite an impassioned two-hour debate at Dorset County Council this morning.

Councillors voted to go out to consultation on a proposal to transfer 20 of the council’s 34 libraries to community groups, with funding to be withdrawn in 2012 if the offer is not accepted.

But they also voted to consider detailed proposals from library supporters group AdLib to reach the council’s £800,000 savings target without the threat of closure.

Speaking after the meeting, Paul Leivers, the council’s head of cultural services, said he saw no contradiction in the two resolutions.

“We are consulting on ways and means of transferring libraries to communities,” he said.

“We are also trying to find a range of views and thoughts about the future of the Dorset library service.”

AdLib’s acting chairman Tim Lee presented detailed proposals to find £800,000 in savings alongside a petition of 13,000 signatures.

He said the councillors draft proposals were “entirely unsatisfactory.”

Mr Lee proposed halving the book budget to £400,000 for four years, reducing opening hours by 10 per cent except at libraries which open for less than ten hours, and cutting staff costs at library service HQ by 10 per cent.

After the vote he told the Echo: “I am pleased by the overwhelming support shown to our proposals and by the fact that they will now be carefully considered.

“It’s too soon for celebration, but it’s a big step forward.”

Earlier cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Hilary Cox had dismissed AdLib’s proposals as “salami slicing” a “lean” service that had already been restructured.

Campaigners for school crossing patrols also left the meeting dissatisfied after councillors voted to continue consultation on proposals to save £200,000 a year by withdrawing salaries.

Ferndown mums Liz Howard and Liz Norman presented a petition of 18,000 signatures in support of the crossing on Church Road which they said served three schools and 75 per cent of Ferndown’s juvenile population.

Liz Norman told The Echo: “They are still trying to push responsibility on to the schools. But a community is more than just a school. It’s the council and the residents.

Councillors will vote on a budget to save £31m in 2011/2012.