Plan to fight cuts in library hours

Councillors discussed plans on Monday night that could see the library have 30 minutes slashed off its opening times each week.

The council was told that the library, at Dinnington Resource Centre, had the third highest number of visitors each year and the second highest number of visitors in the borough.

Council clerk Kath Amies said: “We are concerned that they want to reduce our hours, say compared with Aston which has 20,000 less visitors and around 600 less permanent borrowers.”

“They want to take our hours down and put theirs up and we want to challenge that.”

Under the plans by Rotherham Council Maltby Library’s weekly opening hours could fall from 50 to 40, Kiveton’s from 35.5 to 32 and Thurcroft by 30 minutes.

The plans, which are currently out for public consultation, would also see Aston Library’s hours increased by 4.5 hours, from 44.5 to 49 hours.

Dinnington Town Council chairman Pauline Davies told the council: “We are considering protesting.”

“Even though they are only wanting to cut the hours by 30 minutes, if we don’t protest now then they could take more (hours) off us (the library).”

Coun Phil Wardle said that any reductions to Dinnington’s hours would have an effect on neighbouring Anston residents, who also use the service.

Several consultations are taking place around the borough.

Rotherham Council said its research had found that not every community necessarily needs a library and the current hours may not be appropriate as they once were.

Council bosses says the changes would save them around £500,000, and they believe the new proposals are value for money.