A COUNCIL committee has said ‘there is no compelling evidence’ if Redditch Library was to be relocated that services will be reduced.

On June 26, Worcestershire County Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board discussed updated proposals for the relocation of Redditch Library.

It is proposed the existing library should relocate into the Town Hall which will become a Community Hub, and the existing library to be demolished, to make way for a public plaza.

Earlier this month, the council’s pre-scrutiny panel also discussed the proposals and concluded that members were not made aware of any detriment to the library service offering.

Redditch Borough Council leader, Matt Dormer said: “We have an amazing shopping centre – the Kingfisher which has very good footfall every week, but they don’t come outside.

“They come to go outside and there’s nothing to invite them out there, they come to a back of a building which isn’t the best.

“By relocating the library and enabling us to move the building, it will move footfall.

“I can only see huge benefits.”

A public consultation was held about the relocation and a total of 1467 people responded with 72.3 per cent saying they disagreed with the new location for the library being in the Town Hall.

Worcestershire county councillor Richard Udall asked cabinet member for communities, Cllr Marcus Hart if the opinions of the residents matter.

Cllr Hart said: “It’s not about County Hall or Redditch Borough Council knowing best.

“I will consider the recommendation very carefully, and this is of course a consultation not a referendum.

“I will have due regard to the responses, and I note 72 per cent are against the proposals.

“If you’re looking at that when there are 15,000 residents who are members of the library– overall responses is circa 10 per cent.

“You have to consider what the silent majority might be thinking and consider their views.”

Hannah Perott, assistant director for communities, said floor plans have been ‘gone through with a fine tooth comb’ and there is a ‘high level of confidence that the new space is equal measure’ to the library currently.