VILLAGERS in Porlock have voted with their voices in an overwhelming show of support to save their local library from closure.

Porlock is one of six libraries in Somerset - including Watchet and Bishops Lydeard - set to lose all public funding from September as part of Somerset County Council's decision to make £34 million of service cuts across the board in the coming financial year.

But faced with losing what is regarded as a crucial community facility, Porlock Parish Council launched a survey to gauge local people's views on the impending closure.

And this week, the authority published the results - and declared the fight to save the library would continue.

Councillors said they understood the need to make savings and they were prepared to look positively at setting up a community run library service.

But to make it viable, they would need continued support from the county council - not what parish council chairman Cllr Alan Wright described as the authority's current "walk away" approach.

The survey was sent to all existing library users and copies made available to all local people.

A total of 78 per cent of those responding rated the library as very important, with a further 18 per cent describing it as important.

And 85 per cent of respondents said they would be willing to contribute to the costs of maintaining the service, including some people who are not currently library users.

The survey found that while the majority of uses could access Minehead Library - the nearest alternative - many could only do so with difficulty and a significant proportion - 26 per cent - felt this was not a viable option.

Parish council clerk Chris Fitzgerald said this would not be a surprise to anyone who knew Porlock.

"We are the oldest community not only in Somerset but in the UK," she said.

"With such an elderly population, it is natural that a high proportion have problems with mobility or transport access.

"In our view this must be taken into account by the county council when they decide on policies for such key services - library services are important for all, but especially for our elderly residents, many of whom live alone."

Mrs Fitzgerald said the council was delighted with the high response to the library questionnaire.

"It gives the parish council a very clear view of the depth of local feeling on this issue.

"We now plan early discussions with the county council urging them to change their approach, given the potential impact on our whole community."

Cllr Wright said people saw the library as one of a range of core services which underpinned Porlock.

"There is real concern that if we lose services such as this, then we endanger everything that is central to our community," he said.

"The current proposals are a real attack on Porlock."

Cllr Wright said not only would the village lose its library but also significant funding from the rental income for its base.

The parish council owns the Old School Centre, which houses the library and Cllr Wright said the loss of income would have to be absorbed by the parish council.

"It will significantly constrain what we are able to do since it represents about 17 per of the funds raised by the parish.

"This will have a knock-on effect on our ability to fund other facilities supported by the parish council."

And Mrs Fitzgerald questioned whether the county council was fully aware of the impact of its proposals.

"It is not just a library issue - the fabric of our community is under real threat," she said.

"We are also concerned that if the county council stops paying for this space, the costs are simply transferred to the parish.

"It saves no money - merely transfers it from the county council to the parish, which has no ability to absorb it.

"Savings should be real, not transfers of liability that keep accountants happy but achieve nothing."