High Court judge to issue first library cuts ruling tomorrow

A High Court judge will rule tomorrow in the high-profile judicial review of the London Borough of Brent's proposed cuts to its libraries service.

Campaign group Brent SOS Libraries, advised by law firm Bindmans, challenged the council’s decision to shut six of its twelve libraries.

The group, which has had backing from the likes of Alan Bennett and the Pet Shop Boys, argued that the cuts would hit the poor, children, older people, the disabled and ethnic minorities harder than others.

They also said the council had “dogmatically” pursued its own closure plans, rather than engage with alternative, community-based rescue plans.

The ruling by Mr Justice Ouseley at 10 am tomorrow (13 October) will be the first judgment on cuts to library services.

Judgment has been reserved in a second libraries case, involving cuts to services in Somerset and Gloucestershire. This was heard last month by Mr Justice McKenna at the Civil Justice Centre in Birmingham.