CAMPAIGNERS say they will continue to fight for Lyme Regis Library – but admit they must put alternative plans in place.

The Save the Lyme Regis Library group said the priority is to retain a library service and has come up with ‘imaginative’ suggestions to secure its future.

The campaigners say they are feeling more optimistic following a meeting last Friday with West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin.

It was after Dorset County Council agreed to consider ideas proposed by campaign group Ad Lib that could keep the 20 threatened libraries open, including Lyme and Charmouth.

But councillors also voted to proceed with a three-month consultation on proposals to hand over the libraries to community groups.

Lyme Regis campaigner Anita Williams and town councillor Lorna Jenkin met Mr Letwin in Dorchester.

Ms Williams said: “We know our library building is incredibly expensive to run but we find it really frustrating that lots of ideas have been put forward but Dorset County Council has not been interested in talking about them.

“Now it wants to shut us down without talking about something that might make a big difference to the amount of money that it puts into Lyme.

“Absolutely we will continue to fight for our library service, but I think that we are all realistic enough to know that its not going to be in our existing library building. We need to be thinking about other options.

“There is a suggestion to run a library out of an annexe at St Michael’s Business Centre because there’s already planning consent.”

Mr Letwin welcomed the suggestions and said he was ‘determined’ to make something happen.

He said: “I think that the sort of plans they are talking about are very imaginative. I think we could end up with something even better than what we have currently got.

“I’m determined to make that happen and I’m in discussions with the county council about all of this.

“The question is how to achieve it and how to get a partnership with the county council to make it happen.”

The MP said he had already been in contact with Coun Hilary Cox, cabinet member for community services, and Paul Leivers, head of cultural services, to discuss the provision of library services throughout West Dorset.

Mr Letwin also confirmed at the meeting that Lyme Regis residents had been contacting him in droves and the town was definitely ‘on the radar’.

Ms Williams said: “I congratulate Lyme residents on really getting behind the library campaign and making their views heard and I would urge them to continue to write to Mr Letwin and to DCC to make it clear that we need a library in Lyme Regis.”

For more information go to www.aroundlymeregis.co.uk or contact Ms Williams on anita@lrdt.co.uk or 01297 443138.