Library reform plan gets green light

Cost-cutting measures will include merging library and customer service staff, increasing volunteer numbers and changing the home delivery offering, officers have previously said.

The plans, first revealed by the local authority last year, were rubber-stamped by the borough’s elected members on Wednesday night.

However, council leaders did not reveal whether the merging of staff will result in job losses.

Officers told the Wigan Today earlier this week it is “too early to tell” whether the reforms will trigger redundancies.

Leader Lord Smith told the chamber: “I think we should be very proud (of this plan).

“If we look at what other authorities have had to do, they’ve been closing libraries and shutting services down. We’re trying to keep them open as much as we can. We do need to change the way we do it because money is tight.

“But we’re not here to close libraries and get rid of staff, we need to enhance the service.”