THE public libraries in Wellington and Wiveliscombe face closure under a proposed radical redesign of the service throughout Somerset, unless volunteers step forward to help run them.

They are among 15 of the 34 libraries in the county which may be axed to save £500,000 over the next three years.

Somerset County Council said it would instead operate a mobile library and/or an outreach library service in communities affected by any closures.

A 12-week public consultation exercise on the future of the libraries service will start on Monday (January 29) and the county emphasised no final decisions would be taken until the autumn.

Wellington town councillors will discuss the closure threat at their February meeting and will look at possible funding to help keep the library open.

But county councillor John Thorne, who is also a town councillor, has already called the consultation ‘meaningless’ and has asked for it to be scrapped.

Cllr Thorne said: “This is not a consultation, this is an ultimatum. It is ‘an offer you can’t refuse’ scenario.

“The county says there has to be community involvement to help keep the library open, or they will replace it possibly with a mobile van once a month or a session in a community hall.

“But they do not spell out what involvement is needed or how volunteers can actually help, so how can we possibly decide if we can do it."

For the full story see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.