Opening times cut in plan to save three libraries

Campaigners have battled to save three city libraries from closure

The opening times of some Nottingham libraries will be reduced as part of revised plans to save three others from closure.

The city council has put forward new proposals to save the Radford-Lenton Library, Aspley Library and Basford Library after opposition from campaign group Save Nottingham Libraries.

It had planned to close the libraries as part of budget cuts to save £79,000 a year but now plans to cut a total of 42.5 opening hours across the city instead.

Campaigners have called on the authority to rethink the plans.

Save Nottingham Libraries paid for a billboard as part of their campaign

The new proposals have been recommended for approval at an executive board meeting of the council on 17 January, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Under the new plans, Aspley Library will remain open to the public but with a £50,000 redesign, funded by the Central Library transformation project budget, so it can also be used as a stock distribution hub and for the delivery of outreach services.

The proposals would cut the hours at the Meadows Library by eight, which the council said was "because the current opening hours are disproportionate to the use of the library relative to the wider library network".

Plans would also see half days at libraries, including Aspley and Clifton, turned into closed days, which the authority said would "reflect use".

Des Conway, of the Save Nottingham Libraries group, said: "We regret that the council has decided to save the remaining £79,000 budget saving by reducing overall opening hours across the portfolio, but fortunately not affecting Basford and Radford-Lenton libraries which retain their existing opening hour arrangements.

"However, the campaign is obviously disappointed in the overall reduction in service opening hours across the entire library network and we would ask the council to consider, even at this late stage keeping the £79k in the library budget, to maintain existing opening hours."