Reduced opening hours for Hampshire libraries to be revealed in September

Hampshire libraries opening hours will be reduced

The 40 county council-run libraries are set to have new opening hours following a public consultation.

In July Hampshire County Council approved plans to close eight libraries, after a decision-making process that lasted several months.

Then, when that was decided, earlier this month the authority launched a consultation as it looked to reduce the opening hours of the remaining 40 libraries. Its survey closed on August 17.

It was proposed to reduce libraries’ opening hours by an average of 20 per cent.

But a county council document revealed that the opening hours of some libraries could increase or decrease by up to 39 per cent ‘to achieve a standardised approach’.

Cllr Seán Woodward, executive member for recreation and heritage at the county council, said: ‘The team are currently analysing responses to the consultation confirming the changes in staffed opening times at Hampshire libraries and we will be in a position to confirm the details of these in early September.

‘The decision to reduce staffed opening hours was one of the recommendations I agreed at my decision day in July, so the exact times for each branch are not subject to a separate decision. We will make sure this information is available to customers, for example on our web page and in library branches, in good time before any changes are made which we expect to be complete by January 2021.’

As reported, the libraries set for closure are those Elson in Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Horndean, Fair Oak, Blackfield, Lyndhurst, South Ham in Basingstoke and Odiham. Emsworth was spared after campaigners found a new site. The authority also withdrew its support to community libraries in Lowford, Milford-on-Sea and North Baddesley.

The closures as well as the proposed reduction in opening hours, are part of a move that would save the council £1.76m.

The decision follows a first public consultation held earlier this year.

It does not affect any libraries run by Portsmouth City Council