Bid for money for new library (From Ledbury Reporter)

Bid for money for new library

11:40am Friday 24th November 2006 in News By Gary Bills-Geddes

HEREFORDSHIRE Council is preparing to apply to the Government for up to £2m to build a new library for Ledbury.

Its bid will be for between £500,000 and £2m and will be put in by March.

It follows the announcement of new funding for for libraries, provided councils are willing to match grants.

Coun Roy Stockton, cabinet member for libraries, said the cost of the project was still at the estimate stage.

Outline plans have already been drawn up, showing a new library where Ledbury's Youth Centre currently stands.

That building, off Bye Street, could be demolished and a new library, incorporating youth centre provision, built instead.

“Ledbury does deserve a more modern library,”

Coun Roy Stockton

But Coun Stockton is not ruling out building the library elsewhere, providing it is a town centre site with adequate parking.

"Ledbury does deserve a more modern library," he said.

The current library, based in the Elizabeth Barrett Browning Institute, does not meet disabled access requirements.