LANCASHIRE County Council’s cabinet last Thursday agreed a proposal to re-open Earby Library in the New Road Community Centre.

County Councillor David Whipp, who represents Pendle Rural, said: “The county council has agreed with my suggestion from last year to provide a library in the community centre building, rather than re-open the old library building on Water Street.

“Locating the library in the centre will help secure the future of the building as government cuts continue to squeeze council budgets in future years.”

Earby Library had been declared surplus to requirements by the council and was closed to the public in September 2016.

However, plans were agreed for the phased re-opening of 18 libraries, mostly run by the county council, with some to be run as independent community libraries.

Earby Library was among those libraries about which decisions had been deferred to allow time for further consideration.

The cabinet had given permission for a feasibility study to consider the costs and other implications of re-establishing Earby Library in the New Road Community Centre rather than in the former library building.

The decision to set up the council-run library in the New Road Community Centre means the future of the former Earby library building will be reviewed.

A new mobile library service will also operate as soon as possible in Earby, while the necessary work is being carried out to set up the library at the New Road Community Centre.

The mobile library will be located on Victoria Road, near to the Pendle Borough Buildings and the bus turning circle, and will visit every two weeks after it has commenced in this location.

County Cllr Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: “I firmly take the view that libraries are a vital service at the heart of our communities, offering free access to books and information. They are also a place where communities can get together.

“It was always our intention to reopen a library service in Earby. Unfortunately the building where it had been based is not in good condition and is not well-suited to operating a modern library service.

“To address this, I had discussions with members of the community and local councillors. Following these conversations, we carried out a feasibility study to look at the possibility of reopening the library in the nearby community centre.

“We have now considered all the information and are able to agree to the proposals. There is lot of work required to convert part of the community centre to make it suitable for library use.”