VILLAGERS who took to the streets two months ago to demonstrate against the temporary closure of their library have finally won their battle.

The Friends of Pevensey Bay Library (FPBL) staged a public demonstration in February, complaining that their library had remained shut since January 2015 because of flooding.

The group slammed councillors and officers at East Sussex County Council, saying they had been slow and refused to communicate with residents.

A spokesman said at the time that they were appalled at the behaviour of East Sussex County Council.

But three months after the demo – the county council has announced it plans to reopen Pevensey Bay Library, in Richmond Road, on Tuesday, August 30.

A survey into the cause of water damage has recommended some repairs but also states further investigation of drainage around the building will be needed, which could take several more months.

However, the council says in the meantime it will press ahead with internal repairs to ensure the building can reopen as soon as possible.

Margaret Martin, Chairman of FPBL, said the reopening is fantastic news and villagers would be delighted.

She said: "However, we sincerely hope the library won’t re-open only to be heralded by proposals for closure next year when the county implements the next round of cuts following its countywide needs assessment.

"We all know the cuts are coming, but the timetable for the review process still isn’t very clear. Will residents be consulted on priorities over the coming months or simply be presented with proposals for library closures when consultants report their findings in 12 months’ time?"

Councillor Chris Dowling, county council lead member for community services, said: the issues with flooding at the library are very complex and it will take some time to identify what needs to be done as a long-term solution to the problem.

He said: "However, our view is that people in Pevensey Bay have waited long enough and the cost of carrying out internal repairs is justified in order for us to be able to resume normal service.

"The improvements we’re making will allow us to provide a safe and pleasant environment once again for our users, and we have a plan in place to allow us to quickly dry out the property and reopen in the event of any future flooding.

"I’d like to thank residents for their patience and St Wilfrid’s Church Hall for allowing us to provide a temporary solution. We will continue to keep people informed of any further developments in the weeks and months ahead."