LIBRARY opening hours are set to be slashed across Worcestershire - with libraries throughout Bromsgrove and Redditch to be hit by cuts.

The controversial proposals will mean seventeen libraries across the county will be affected with opening times reduced by a total of 78.5 hours a week.

In a leaked email seen by the Advertiser's sister newspaper, the Worcester News, Worcestershire County Council could axe library jobs, introduce "unstaffed periods" inside the buildings and increase library fees as part of a fresh plan to save £1 million.

Rubery Library will be worst hit in the Bromsgrove area, losing five hours and Bromsgrove Library will lose three.

Redditch Library will lose four hours and Woodrow Library will lose one hour, while Alvechurch will lose two hours.

Of the remaining 20 libraries across Worcestershire only Warndon, Wythall and Catshill will survive without changes.

Back in 2011 bosses hatched a target of saving £2.7 million from library spending by 2016, a target they are only £300,000 short of now.

But due to serious financial pressures that target was increased to £3.7 million, upping it by £1 million by 2018/19.

An email reveals how £500,000 could be plugged by reducing opening hours, with a variety of other ideas also up for debate.

The email says bosses want to "introduce unstaffed periods in libraries", with pilots set to get underway this year to test the feasibility.

It says the authority intends to "reduce and review staffing to reflect a fall in library participation", but does not say how many roles could go.

Officers also want to raise library fees, hire more meeting rooms to bring in extra cash and demand up-front payments for transactions.

The proposals have been severely criticised by Labour group leader Councillor Peter McDonald.

"This is very, very damaging, it's an assault on communities and an attack on anyone who needs to use a library," he said.

"Late nights are going, Saturdays are being cut - they are chipping away at everything in a mad, penny-pinching attack."

The Conservative leadership has pointed to its record of not closing any libraries despite the pressures, the cabinet has managed to keep all its sites open, often by turning to volunteers to help run them and inviting other agencies to share space.

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, the cabinet member for localism and communities said: "We're very proud of our record of keeping every library in Worcestershire open despite the financial challenges we are facing.

"We are currently consulting with staff regarding a number of proposals and seeking their views regarding future operations.

"No decisions have been made and we'll consider the views of our staff before the proposals are discussed by the libraries board.

"We're determined any changes that have to be made have the minimum effect on people who use our libraries."

The email, from service improvement manager Carol Brown, also says how the council wants to save £250,000 from the Hive and £250,000 by extra library commissioning to complete the fresh £1 million of cutbacks.

It also stated that the reductions in hours have been drafted up after talking to library staff about quiet periods.

The county council now has just 137 paid staff across its libraries compared to 272 six years ago.