Reduced library opening hours come into force

Reduced library hours have come into force in Crewe

Reduced opening hours have come into force at libraries in Cheshire.

The plans were signed off by Cheshire East Council earlier this year to save money.

Two town councils, however, have agreed to fund extra hours at two sites.

Cheshire East Council said as a result of that funding, and feedback to consultation, it had reinstated 31 hours of operation per week across the service.

Crewe Town Council is funding an additional seven and a half hours each week while Nantwich Town Council is providing funds for an extra four hours each week.

Some of the larger libraries had faced significant hour reductions, with Crewe losing 14 hours a week under original proposals.

That cut has since been scaled back to a reduction of two and a half hours weekly.

Libraries in Alsager, Macclesfield, Sandbach and Poynton will all be closed for an extra 10 hours a week.

Smaller libraries in Disley and Prestbury have no changes to their hours, while Alderley Edge Library will be closed on Thursdays instead of Fridays.

Cheshire East Council said it would be interested in working with other town and parish councils to provide additional library services.

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said the authority understood “just how much libraries are valued by local communities”.

He added: “We have worked hard to reduce the impact on library opening hours as much as possible, while ensuring that we can make essential savings to balance our budget and protect services for those most at risk in our community.”