North Hampshire library receives cash to go independent
Last updated 13th Jan 2021
A parish council in North Hampshire has received a grant to enable it to set up an independent community library.
Odiham is one of eight Hampshire libraries axed by Hampshire County Council as part of budget savings.
But now Odiham Parish Council has been awarded £10,000 from the county council to keep it open as an independent service.
Executive Member for Recreation, Heritage, Countryside and Rural Affairs, Councillor Edward Heron, said:
"We were faced, last year, with the very difficult decision to close eight of our libraries to ensure that the best possible service could be maintained at the other 40 libraries across the county. It has been very heartening to see the communities in these areas pulling together, to enable library services to continue in a different way. In these very financially challenging times for local authorities, positive action from volunteers adds enormous value to the services that the County Council provides. I hope that, through these grants, we can help these new Independent Community Libraries to be a great success."
The County Council has offered one-off pump-priming awards of up to £10,000, intended to support start up and transition costs.