Plans to cut Shropshire Council library hours

Shropshire Council said it was "a difficult time for staff"

Money-saving proposals to reduce opening hours at Shropshire's libraries have been revealed.

Ten council-run libraries are expected to close on Saturday afternoons, but the authority said it was not aiming to make staff redundant.

Shropshire Council's library service has to make savings of more than £1m, as the authority bids to cut £60m over the next three years.

It also wants to reduce library evening hours.

Shrewsbury Library is the only one planned to continue opening on Saturday afternoons, but would shut on Sundays.

The proposals will save around £55,000 a year, the authority said.

Council commissioning manager Neil Wilcox said there had been a "year-on-year decline in library usage" and the authority had studied the times of "least usage".

He said: "We are trying to design a library service that feels contemporary and reflects changing patterns of usage.

"It's quite a difficult time for staff - and not just in libraries. There were fairly stark messages given across the whole range of services."