Woodrow Library move approved

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A MOVE which will see borough council services run out of Woodrow Library has been formally approved.

The district's One Stop Shop is expected to be based out of the Woodrow Centre building from some time next year after undergoing an extensive refurbishment.

Worcestershire County Council, which leases the building from Redditch Borough Council, is funding the revamp which as well as allowing residents to still access council services locally will also develop the library into more of a community hub.

The makeover is expected to increase access to the range of support groups, training initiatives and adult learning available through the library, as well as creating a new space available for a range of community services to use.

It will also free up office space elsewhere in the town which the borough council could use to create council housing. The move is part of the county council's efforts to combine library services with others to avoid closures as a result of having to cut £1.8million from the libraries budget due to a reduction in government funding.

Coun John Campion, responsible for the library service on the county council, said: "Our commitment to library services across Worcestershire is to keep them open and explore opportunities to share buildings with other local organisations.

"This will help the service save money and help provide real community venues which house a range of public services which local people can access. The project in Woodrow is an example of this and is further evidence of how good partnership working can reduce overheads and importantly deliver more and better for local people."

Coun Phil Mould, responsible for corporate management on the borough council, added: "These are important public services for the community in Woodrow and all of Redditch.

"Putting the services we know people want together under one roof makes it easier for people to access them, and furthermore by working together we are using public resources more efficiently and continuing to improve support to residents. All this is vital given the big savings we need to make."

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