LIBRARIES and leisure centres in Swindon could close as thousands of council workers stage a one-day strike next week.

All Swindon Council service areas will be affected, from refuse collection to school cleaning and catering.

The council's senior officers are holding emergency meetings today and tomorrow to decide how they will manage the disruption next Wednesday.

The council has 8,000 employees, and although not all of them will be on strike, the impact on frontline services could be heavy.

Swindon Council workers are among 1.2 million council staff across the UK who are staging a protest against low pay.

The action follows ballots by three public service unions, Unison, TGWU and GMB, which have rejected the Government's three per cent pay offer.

They are seeking a six per cent or £1,750 pay rise for all council workers, whichever is the larger.

Swindon Council spokeswoman Sarah Deacon said the council will not know until the day how many staff will actually go on strike.

She said: "It is anticipated that this day of action will go ahead and there will be implications across all service areas.

"Constructive discussions have taken place with Unison, the principal trade union, to identify essential services where staff will be exempt from taking action.

"In such areas, services will be maintained, although it is possible that this will be limited."

She said the council is meeting this week to put together contingency plans to ensure it is able to maintain services as far as possible.

"This needs to take into account issues such as the health and safety of both staff and the public, in the event that sufficient staff are not available," she added.

"Although specific services may not have been exempt from any industrial action, it is hoped that at least a skeleton service can be maintained across all services."

Roger Averies, Swindon Council's Unison representative, said he hoped the strike would make people realise how much they take council workers for granted.

"It will heighten the awareness of the public that there are low paid people around and it will highlight the services we provide," he said.

The latest and most accurate list of exemptions from the strike action are:

Social services residential homes

Housing wardens (minimum cover)

Homeline

Social services emergency duty team

Social services support workers (personal care)

Home carers

Home carer organisers (minimum service)

Swindon services emergency call out (minimum service)

Control room (Premier House)

Enterprise Works

Registration service (Aspen House)