A BOURTON couple has expressed fears about the future of the village library in the face of county council cutbacks.

Steven Ford and his wife Myra of Folly Field, Bourton, attended Bourton Parish Council meeting last week to make their views known.

Library users Mr and Mrs Ford said they had written a letter objecting to the plans to downgrade Bourton library to a “library link” under plans being considered by Gloucestershire County Council, which is seeking to save £108million from its budget over the next four years.

“We feel very strongly that the library does a good job. All members of the community go there,” said Mr Ford.

Parish council chairman Bryan Sumner said the current library building in Bourton “left a lot to be desired” and an enhanced library service at Stow was being proposed.

However, he said that the parish council had so far received about half a dozen letters objecting to the library link plan in Bourton and the matter would go on the agenda at the next council meeting on Wednesday, February 2.

District and parish councillor Sheila Jeffery urged parishioners to write to GCC about their concerns and get their friends and neighbours to do the same.

“It does not stop people protesting or making their views known and I would urge you to do that. If you don’t they will take it that you accept it,” said Coun Jeffery.

Coun Sumner said he understood the proposal was to close Bourton library this year but he did not know when the library link was be due to open.

A 10,000-signature petition objecting to the proposed 43 per cent cutback in library services was handed to GCC by campaign group Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries last week.