A CAMPAIGN has been launched against plans to privatise libraries in the Wokingham borough.

Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey and Anthony Vick, who stood unsuccessfully as Lib Dem candidates in last month's elections, sparked fury from the council's Tory leadership after setting up the "Save Our Libraries" campaign on Monday and launching a petition at Woodley Library the following day.

Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey said: "I am appalled by the thought of companies making a profit out of libraries. Libraries should be for the benefit of residents, not city sharks.

"I am worried that the only way private companies can make a profit will be to close libraries and increase charges to residents."

Mr Vick added: "It is wrong to make money out of the customer and we plan to visit all of the libraries in the borough to get as many petition signatures as possible."

Wokingham Lib Dem councillors are "furious" that the council is pushing ahead with plans to privatise the borough's libraries without putting safeguards in place to protect the services. Lib Dem leader, Cllr Prue Bray, said: "It seems the Conservatives are hellbent on handing the service over to a commercial company, who will want to make a profit. Who knows what that could mean for the existing library services?"

The Conservative-led council agreed plans to outsource the library services last month in a bid to save £170,000 a year and it has now invited companies to come forward and bid for the five-year contract, which would begin next year.

But Cllr David Lee, leader of the council, described the campaign as "laughable" and "madness." He said: "We are the worst funded unitary authority in the country and we are not cutting the library service, so I don't see the point of this petition when we, as a council, have said we are keeping the services.

"This plan means we will be able to save money and give a better service, so I do not know what the petition is campaigning to save the libraries from. We are still providing the service that the residents want, but it is nonsense to think that all of the services have to be run directly by the council at Shute End."

For more information on the campaign, visit http://save-our-libraries.blogspot.com/