THE leader of Calderdale's Social Democrat Party, Coun Michael Taylor, has pledged to fight for the reopening of Todmorden Library on Thursday afternoons.

But Coun Taylor, who lives at Owlers Walk, Todmorden, and is a councillor for Calder Valley, warns his efforts would have "scant chance of success" unless the move was supported by the Labour or Conservative parties.

In a letter to Todmorden Town Council, Coun Taylor said he believed the library on Rochdale Road should remain open on Thursday afternoons and evenings.

And he wants to see money from the council's 2004/5 budget being spent on keeping the library open for those extra hours.

Coun Frank McManus said it was deplorable to close the public library at a time of day when many schoolchildren were making use of the libraries.

The committee has now decided to accept an offer to attend a future meeting by head of libraries, museums and arts, Gary Borrows, who told them: "This would be an opportunity to explore any areas of concern to the town council and for me to share some of the plans we have for development of the library service in general."