Gloucestershire County Council have been served with an injunction to stop them carrying out county wide library closures.  

Across the county libraries threatened with closure, have been given enormous support by local residents, and there have, in addition, been warnings from retired professional librarians, lawyers and some county councillors that these library closures may well be illegal.  The High Court injunction prevents GCC from progressing with its plans until a court hearing on 7th July.

Mark Hawthorne, the Leader of Gloucestershire Council, reacting to this injunction said 'We have immediately asked for and have been granted a hearing on 7th July to challenge this decision'.

This is untrue – the date was set by the courts, and Gloucestershire County Council has been ordered to appear, not to challenge the injunction, but for the judge to decide whether the case goes to court.

Mark Hawthorne also said repeatedly that community groups are 'excited' to be given the 'opportunity' to take on their libraries, and that these groups are 'frustrated' at the disruption that the legal challenge may cause to these plans. But this has not the case anywhere in the county. People have simply been faced with closure of their local library. Some community groups have indeed submitted business plans to run their branch as a community library, but they have done so under duress, fearing that they would otherwise have no library at all. People have spoken out again and again to say that they would much rather the library stayed within the County Council system. Mark Hawthorne's Big Community Offer has been identified as what it is - an ultimatum. 

• Lechlade Library - http://foclibrary.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/cllr-hawthorne-spins-away-while-lechlade-library-working-group-set-the-record-straight/ 
• Newnham on Severn Library - http://www.newnhamonsevern.co.uk/visit/business/library/