Council to consider permanent Ibstock library closure

A search for fresh volunteers to run the the library has been unsuccessful

The future of a Leicestershire library service is set to be decided by councillors this week.

Ibstock Community Library had been run by volunteers since 2019 but the site was temporarily closed in March after they stepped down.

Leicestershire County Council had been looking for another group to take over but said it had been unsuccessful.

The authority will consider a recommendation to close the site permanently on Friday.

If the plan is approved, the council will consider replacing the facility with a mobile library, which has visited weekly since April.

However, according to council papers, it would be a "regular three-weekly" service.

A report to the cabinet said volunteers running the library announced in September that the site would be closing because it had "struggled to generate support and despite its best efforts" the group felt it was no longer sustainable.

'Sterling work'

The council said two groups had subsequently expressed an interest in taking over but neither met the authority's essential criteria.

One group withdrew from the process and the other could not demonstrate financial sustainability, the council said.

Christine Radford, cabinet member for libraries, said: "Reluctantly, given that there isn't a group able to take over the running of the library, the cabinet is being asked to consider the proposal to close the library and put in place alternative provision.

"I want to thank the trustees and volunteers at Ibstock for their sterling work in the past few years.

"They have done a fantastic job."