The sale of the former Balloch Library to a private company has been approved by a council committee despite attempts to save it.

At a West Dunbartonshire Council meeting this week, councillors were asked to approve the disposal of the building which was declared as 'surplus' after the library moved into a school campus which is adjacent to Balloch Primary.

The relocation, which was announced in October last year, caused backlash from parents and members of the local community who wanted to keep services the way they were.

However, the fight may now be over after councillors agreed six to four to sell the building for £150,000 to McVey and Burns Property Investment Limited.

Speaking at the Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee, Councillor Chris Pollok asked if there were any bids made by the community to purchase the building.

It was confirmed that no group had come forward.

Councillor Hazel Sorrel added: "I don’t think there are any community groups in Lomond Ward that would be able to take that on and pay for that amount of money.

"I’m quite involved in my community groups and they did look at it but unfortunately, they would not be able to raise the funds."

Councillor Pollok petitioned the committee to amend their position and delay the selling of the building in the hope a group could rally enough funds to keep it.

He said: “The committee notes the community's opposition to the closure of Balloch Library and the significant unhappiness of the reduced space for library services which we now have within a school building.

“To sell off the library building would be to kill all hope for the people of Lomond to have a public building where they can enjoy community activities alongside traditional library activities such as borrowing books and other resources.

“Therefore committee agrees that the building sale should not go ahead whilst further explanation of funding streams for a proper library are investigated.”

However, Councillor McBride claimed that some councillors failed to 'smell the coffee' about the council's finances.

He said: "It’s predictable but disappointing that the SNP have come up with yet another motion to just delay something.

“I don’t think they realise the financial reality that the council is in. The Scottish Government has left this council on its knees.

“Unfortunately, the SNP group don’t seem to have woken up and smelt the coffee in realising that we can’t hold onto the building for the sake of it.

“We need resources to come back into the council. Every time we get something back in that’s a resource saved and that's a job saved."