Thatcham residents' views sought on library future

Fill out town council survey

THATCHAM residents’ views are being sought regarding the future of the town library.

West Berkshire Council announced in February that Thatcham Library and seven others across the district were to be closed in its sweeping cuts to public services.

The council had to save £18.9m this year but then received £1.4m of ‘transitional funding’ from the Government to help soften the blow. The council then said it would use £475,000 of the Government cash to keep libraries open on a temporary basis, but Theale Library and Wash Common Library would close.

However, following advice from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the council said that no library would close until a detailed needs assessment had been carried out.

Thatcham Town Council is now seeking opinions about the future of Thatcham Library, which welcomed around 54,000 people last year and employs five part-time staff.

Town and district councillor Richard Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central) said the town council was interested to see what support there was among residents for keeping the library open.

Mr Crumly said that he would prefer to see the library remain open but the devil would be in the details in terms of the cost of keeping it open.

At a meeting in March, the town council said it would explore the possibility of moving to a self-service model for the facility.

The survey can be completed online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CDRBRPL and on the town council’s Facebook page.

Paper copies can be obtained by contacting the town council office on (01635) 863592.

Anyone interested in volunteering or a joining a group over the library’s future should call the town council or email enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk