AN Upton councillor claims he has been assured there are no plans to close the town’s library, at least in the short term.

The future of the facility, in School Lane, has been in some doubt with Worcestershire County Council looking to cut £1.8 million – about 28 per cent – from its libraries and learning services budget.

However Upton Town councillor Simon Speers told fellow members on Tuesday: “There are no plans to close the library. We do not have that in writing but I have been assured verbally that is the case for a three to five year window.”

He added he did have concerns over what he described as “salami slicing” – cutting the service bit-by-bit ahead of a move for closure further down the line.

Coun Speers said he had held a meeting at Hanley Castle High School to try and drive additional usage from its students, and that a “use it or lose it” campaign aimed at residents was still being planned.

Meanwhile a meeting is taking place tomorrow (Saturday) with representatives from Upton Town, Malvern Hills District and Worcestershire County councils all invited to attend, along with local MP Harriett Baldwin.

“I think it will be a useful conduit,” said Coun Speers. “I do think that they will want to squeeze some savings out of Upton but I’m not sure how that will be done. It seems to me it can only be from the property itself or from the manpower.”