Women, children and elderly residents of Balloch have written to politicians and taken legal action over Labour-controlled West Dunbartonshire Council’s decision to close their library and community hub.

They are seeking a judicial review which could result in keeping the Carrochan Road premises open and delay the plans to re-locate it across the road in the Balloch primary school campus.

Earlier this month, WDC’s Labour administration ignored and rejected protesters pleas to reverse the decision after placard-carrying mothers, children and elderly residents of Haldane, Jamestown, Levenvale and Old Bonhill took their case to the council headquarters in the old Burgh Hall in Church Street, Dumbarton.

But they received short shrift from the Labour councillors who appeared angry and aggressive that the voting public had the temerity to challenge their decision.

There have also been a number of complaints about the relocation from a safety point of view.

Protesters are saying there should be no mix of adults and children in the school campus – which is already home to Balloch and St Kessog’s Primary, Balloch Early Learning and Childcare Centre (ELCC) and an Additional Support Needs (ASN) unit.

Reservations have also been expressed about the fact that the main school entrance is planned to double as the main fire exit.

Labour are putting the poor mouth on it saying the Council cannot afford to meet the £50,000 cost of keeping the library open while at the same time canvassing for organisations to apply to them for grants from a kitty ten times that amount.

If the Haldane mothers and children are not a community group then they want to know what the council have designated them as.

The campaigners have vowed to continue to fight against the plans, and have now sent a letter to SNP Westminster MP Martin Docherty-Hughes and Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for the Dumbarton constituency which includes Balloch.

Dame Jackie is also the deputy leader of the Labour Party in Scotland and should have considerable clout if she takes up the case to keep the library open.

SNP Westminster MP Martin Docherty-Hughes, Dame Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for the Dumbarton constituency, which includes Balloch, and Labour Group leader Martin Rooney, who has had little to say about the matter.

The letter sent to the politicians says: “We, the community, are very worried about the risk to both children and library users. Our concerns include the following; security of children, fire safety coordination between schools and library, disabled access, parking and toilet facilities.

“Can you please investigate what square footage of free unused space there is in the building, rather than looking only at pupil numbers?

“At present the plans show that the headteacher’s office, part of the nursery teachers’ staff-room and the printer room have been repurposed to form the library.

“This is a tiny amount of space, totally inadequate for a library, and these rooms are necessary to the running of the school.”

It continues: “It was stated that ‘secure entry to the school will remain in place, as per current arrangements.’

“Parents and carers were alarmed to read that there would need to be a fire exit in the library, so this would be a direct access to the school.

“It was also mentioned that any classes that the library currently holds would not be able to be held in the library that moves over to the school, so they would have to be held in the school hall. Again, a direct access to the school. This should be a huge red warning for anyone.

“This fact is then followed by the contradictory claim that no member of the public will have access to the school.

“Another safety measure outlined is that the new library will not open until 9.30am, to avoid contact between library users and pupils. However, intervals when children are outside the building occur at playtime intervals and over 400 children have a dinner break at midday.

“Many of these children will be in the playground at this time. At pm children will be exiting the school to go home.

“Parents in the community demand to know if a risk assessment was carried out prior to decision making. We are entitled to see a copy of this so that it can be brought to public notice.”

The letter ends by warning: “Parents aim to pursue a Judicial Review of the council’s decision. This will consider the lawfulness of the decision, taking account of the lack of consultation and the lack of impact analyses on the movement.”

Dame Jackie says she understands the public concern about the closure – but has laid the blame at the door of Holyrood’s SNP administration.

She said: “Councils are facing intense budget pressures due to a real terms reduction in the block grant from the SNP Government. In West Dunbartonshire alone there was and continues to be a budget gap of £17.3 million.

“I have made representations to the council about the concerns of local people but I understand that West Dunbartonshire Council is trying to protect frontline services and jobs and co-location of libraries was considered a better option than closing them completely.”

She has so far failed to reveal whether she supports the case to keep the library open and the Labour council leader Martin Rooney has been keeping a low profile in the matter despite the fact that the library is in his Lomond Ward.

Top picture: Parents, children and elderly members of the Balloch community have turned out on cold, dark evenings to make their views known to councillors.