Hundreds of library users battling to stop Croydon Council closing their neighbourhood branch have taken the fight to the cabinet member leading the consultation.

Councillor Sara Bashford listened to pleas from children, families and elderly people as more than 320 residents packed Norbury Baptist Church on January 13 to argue against the proposed closures.

Six libraries across the borough are facing extinction under the consultation, which will save the council up to £619,000 of the £90m it hopes to slash from the budget within four years.

Norbury Green Residents’ Association chairman Mark Green, who organised the Norbury meeting, said the main point coming from residents was the library was “all they had”.

Coun Bashford said “I don’t want to close a library – I use libraries in Croydon. But I have to take account of the budget, and I have to take account of what people’s views are.”

A 12-year-old girl has taken it upon herself to save Broad Green library after Croydon Council admitted it was considering its closure.

Safiya Kenny, whose mother is a librarian at Broad Green, has written to Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks for help and hopes to get schools involved in her campaign.

The Archbishop Lanfranc School pupil, who lives in Stanley Road, said: “I think I will be able to convince the council to keep it open, but I need lots of support.

“I think it’s quite important to keep it open because it’s got a homework club, and it’s in a good area.

“The other two libraries are a mile away.”

Anyone interested in taking part in the consultation should visit surveymonkey.com/s/library-options before February 20.

Planned meetings (all 7pm): Broad Green – Canterbury Road Community Centre, Feb 1; Shirley – Shirley Parish Hall, Feb 2; South Norwood – Stanley Halls, Feb 3; Sanderstead – Sanderstead United Reformed Church Hall, Feb 9