The death knell has been sounded for three libraries in North Somerset after council chiefs voted to close them to save cash.

North Somerset Council's executive committee has given the green light to proposals to shut Congresbury, Banwell and Backwell libraries.

The authority, which has 14 libraries and two mobile libraries, spends £2.6 million on library services each year and the cuts will save £30,000 from council coffers.

But the move to close the libraries has sparked outcry among residents and councillors in the three villages.

Earlier this week, Banwell Youth Club held a protest walk to highlight the fact that people will have to travel two miles to the neighbouring village of Winscombe to use a library should the closure plan go ahead.

Parish leaders in Congresbury, Backwell and Banwell also appealed to the executive, asking it to reconsider the plan, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

The decision will now go before the authority's community services policy and scrutiny panel for discussion.

The panel will scrutinise the decision before a final agreement is reached on the closure plans.

Congresbury Parish Council chairman, Councillor Pete Sewell, said he was hugely disappointed the recommendation to close the village library had been agreed by the executive.

But he stressed the fight was not over and villagers would continue to battle to keep their library open.

Mr Sewell said: "We may have lost the initial battle, but the war has still yet to be won.

"As a village, we will continue to fight to save our library from closure and are working on drawing up our battle plan within the next few days.

"The library is a vital service for many people in the village and it is essential we keep it open."

Community leaders in Backwell say they are angry they were not consulted on the plans.

Parish council chairman Councillor Colin Pope said: "We were not even consulted on the closure plans and the first I knew about it was when a villager rang me. How can North Somerset Council make decisions like this when they have completely ignored the views of the local people?

"The council is spending millions in Weston-super-Mare and then cutting the library service, which only operates for nine hours a week, in Backwell.

"We will continue to join hands with the other affected villages and continue to lobby for our library to stay open."

As part of the changes, the authority plans to buy a new mobile library vehicle and restructure the routes of the service to give priority to communities most in need.

A report to the executive revealed that 95 per cent of households in North Somerset are within two miles of a library and 78 per cent within one mile.

Councillors said no closures would take place until alternative more cost-effective arrangements were in place.

It is also possible the libraries may move into other community buildings such as schools, childrens' centres or council-run leisure centres.

North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "This is about improving the service and while buildings may eventually close, we are looking at alternative provision and a more cost-effective library service."