COUNCILLORS in Ponteland are working to reverse the ‘ham-fisted’ decision to combine the village’s library and leisure centre.

The county council has announced its money-saving plan to move the library from Thornhill Road to Ponteland’s leisure centre on Callerton Lane.

Cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, Coun. Val Tyler claims that co-location will protect local services and that the move will improve the service with longer opening hours.

But the move has been met with disgust by residents and local councillors, who fear it is a plan to axe the service by degrees.

The new location has been branded inappropriate and could equal a reduced footfall, which it is feared could result in closure.

But town councillors are now exploring options, which could resolve the situation.

The council currently operates from premises on the Meadowfield Industrial Estate and is keen to find new offices.

On Tuesday night, the town council met representatives of the county council where a problem-solving idea was mooted.

There is potential for the town council to rent or purchase new offices, which they could then share with the library service.

The informal meeting considered the options and possible sources of funding.

Coun. Richard Dodd, who chaired the meeting, said: “It was an informal ideas meeting and it was positive but cautious. We put some ideas around, from trying to buy a different site to renting premises elsewhere or doing nothing.

“The county council has come in ham-fisted saying it’s going to move the library to the leisure centre. Nobody would be happy with that; it’s not the right venue, footfall would half and they would say no-one is using it.”

Stating that all four of the local county councillors were against the move, county councillor Peter Jackson said: “The proposed location in the leisure centre is totally inappropriate, the access is poor and there will be problems with humidity. The car park at the leisure centre is already too small so access will be a major issue.

“The savings made will be relatively minor and to impose something on a community that is not wanted and will take a key resource out of the village centre, without even talking to local people about it, is just completely wrong.”

Resident Muriel Sobo said that she hadn’t met anyone in Ponteland in favour of the move.

“I’m worried for the future of the village,” Mrs Sobo said. “These are things that have worked for decades and they are tearing it apart.

“This is our home and they are going to rip it apart with this cut and paste job with blocks of schools and leisure centres.”

If it goes ahead the integration of services will be in place by spring next year. One reception would serve library and leisure services. Located in the existing creche area, the service would be open seven days a week.

Mayor of Ponteland, Coun. Carl Rawlings, said: “I was disappointed to hear of the proposed move of the library as I think the current site is more popular than the proposed relocation.

“I was interested to read that the county council has co-located library services in some parts of Northumberland and I hope the county will consider doing something similar in Ponteland, on the current site.”