Cambridgeshire libraries reviewed in council cuts

Public information meetings will help to determine the future of 13 Cambridgeshire libraries

Views are being sought on the future of 13 community libraries in Cambridgeshire.

Following a public consultation in 2010, Cambridgeshire County Council has identified which libraries and services are to be reviewed.

Combining or cutting services could help the council in its bid to save £3.2m from its budget.

Public meetings will take place at the relevant libraries but the council said it would try to keep them all open.

Sir Peter Brown, the council's cabinet member for communities, said: "People have said to us, 'by all means make some changes, but keep our libraries open', and that's what we're endeavouring to do.

'We'll listen'

"One of our proposals, especially in the community libraries, is to try and bring more people in and make better use of resources by making the libraries more than just reading rooms."

The council is considering a number of options including combining libraries with post offices in rural areas, opening the buildings up for school and community use and basing police surgeries in libraries.

Sir Peter said: "It's down to each individual library to think about how they want to operate, and we'll listen to them."

Over the next two months public information meetings will be held to discuss the future of the following libraries: Bar Hill, Buckden, Comberton, Cottenham, Great Shelford, Linton, Milton Road, Rock Road, Sawston, Sawtry, Warboys, Willingham and Yaxley.