Plans to close three inner-city Nottingham libraries

The plans to close the libraries will be discussed by the council's executive board

A council that is facing scrutiny over its finances has said it is considering closing three inner-city libraries.

Nottingham City Council said the draft proposals to close libraries in Basford, Radford and Aspley were being put forward due to its difficult financial situation.

The council has been under the eye of a government-appointed panel following the collapse of its energy firm.

The plans will be considered by its executive board on 18 January.

'Difficult decisions'

The authority said that the way people used libraries had changed dramatically and that the service in Nottingham had relatively high costs when compared to other similar cities.

It said there had been a national decline in library usage over the last ten years, which had been further accelerated by the pandemic.

However, it added libraries had an important part to play in engaging communities.

While it proposed the outright closure of Basford and Radford Lenton libraries, it suggested Aspley Library could be repurposed as a home for a number of outreach and cultural services.

The council's portfolio holder for leisure, culture and schools Eunice Campbell-Clark said: "Our current financial situation means we have some difficult decisions to make.

"We commissioned research which makes it clear that as well as making savings to ensure we have a service that is financially sustainable, we need to adapt our libraries so they meet the needs of the future."

If the recommendations in the report are agreed, a 12-week public consultation will take place from the end of January to May 2022.