It is very much to be welcomed all members of the borough council are to debate the proposed cuts to library funding.

What a disgrace though that Essex County Council is not allowing residents to sign a petition opposing the cuts affecting their own library.

In West Mersea, which is one threatened, we were told the county bosses in Chelmsford would not allow our petition on the West Mersea to be signed in the library.

The same presumably holds for other libraries around Colchester so threatened.

Come on borough council, tell Essex to allow this. Essex County Council should immediately get its high horse.

Essex County Council also needs to make the process of so-called consultation much more user friendly.

Many older residents are put off by computer-based systems - a great pity since they make much use of libraries.

So please can information on what is proposed be made much more available and the reasons for it.

John Akker

Committee member, Mersea Island Society

Seaview Avenue, West Mersea