A FINAL decision on the future of libraries in Kirklees is expected to be made in early autumn after a debate next week on the £1.85 million cuts to the service.

Campaigners hoping to save Cleckheaton Library from closure will be among those speaking at the meeting of Kirklees Council following a petition signed by almost 4,000 people.

A number of petitions were received regarding individual libraries, with thousands signing petitions against plans to close libraries in the Spen Valley.

These were: 11,010 people objecting to moving Batley Library and selling the building, 3,903 people calling for Cleckheaton Library to remain where it is and provide the same level of service, a petition of under 3,000 signatures relating to Mirfield Library, 2,498 people objecting to plans to close Heckmondwike Library or sell the building, and a 167-signature petition about the closure of Birstall Library.

As two petitions have more than 3,000 signatures, they will also be debated at the meeting of full council.

Cleckheaton councillor Andrew Pinnock (Lib Dem), who led the petition to save the library in his ward, said he would be speaking during the debate.

"One of the points I will be making is that Cleckheaton Library is not just for the town of Cleckheaton, it serves a much wider area, from Birkenshaw, to Scholes and Liversedge, and should therefore stay.

"It would also not be suitable to be run by the community, although that doesn't mean to say it wouldn't work with volunteers working alongside staff, but I believe it still needs to be run by the Council."

Next week's debate at a meeting of the authority's full council includes the results of a 12-week public consultation on the service.

More than 5,000 responses were gathered as part of the consultation, following proposals to close all but two of its 26 libraries, including those in Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike and Birstall.

In a letter to fellow councillors, which forms part of the reports to next week's meeting, Councillor Graham Turner, the cabinet member responsible for the library service, states: "Along with officers, I have been considering how we can reconfigure the service and have started to formulate ideas of what we are able to provide within the budget.

He added: "I would just add that we can't maintain the current library offer in the future, therefore would appreciate constructive ideas and original thinking, but please be aware the status quo is not sustainable."

The service is to suffer a £0.5m cut to its budget in the next financial year, increasing to £1.85m by 2018, over the life of the three-year medium term financial plan. The cuts will leave the library service with an annual budget of £3.9m.

Cllr Turner told the Telegraph & Argus that he expected the firm proposals to go before cabinet in early autumn for a final decision to be made.

The debate will take place at Huddersfield Town Hall, from 6pm, on Wednesday, July 29.