Library tier system plan to be discussed

Macclesfield Library would be in tier one and considered a library hub under the strategy

A plan for libraries to be put into a tier system which will determine their opening hours and services will be discussed by councillors.

Cheshire East Council is trying to make savings in library services of more than £600,000 over the next two years.

A report will be presented to the environment and communities committee outlining different tiers to include library hubs, community libraries and mobile library services.

The strategy will be presented next week and then it could go out to public consultation.

'Challenges'

It would put Congleton, Crewe, Macclesfield, Nantwich and Wilmslow libraries in tier one.

The council said these sites would become library hubs with core library services and free support for health, employment, skills, education and personal finance, and would host banking hubs.

Tier two libraries would have the core library services but opening hours would match when the library was busiest.

Alsager, Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Middlewich, Poynton and Sandbach would be in this tier.

Alderley Edge, Bollington, Disley and Handforth would become tier three libraries, known as community libraries.

They would act as customer service points and offer some activities, staffed by council employees for up to one-and-a-half days a week, the strategy outlined.

Tier four would be the existing mobile libraries run by volunteers for residents who are unable to leave their homes.

Councillor Mick Warren from the committee said libraries were "very important" to residents.

“However, major financial challenges mean there is far less money available to spend," he said.

"We must look at a different way of running our libraries so that we can still offer these valued services in the places where demand and need is greatest."