LIVEWIRE’S public consultation into the proposed closure of libraries across the town ended on Friday after seven weeks of meetings and more than 2,400 residents’ responses.

Plans to ‘modernise’ the library service were first put to the public at a meeting in Stockton Heath on September 5.

They included plans to shut libraries in Stockton Heath, Lymm, Penketh, Padgate, Culcheth, Warrington Town Centre, Burtonwood, Westbrook and Birchwood.

Some services would be moved into neighbourhood hubs and 'lending lockers' would also be introduced.

The 18 public meetings were attended by 1,007 residents and some venues had to be changed at the last minute due to the large amount of people who turned up.

LiveWire said visits and lending figures at libraries have fallen in the past few years in line with national trends, leading the company to look at ‘modernising’ the service.

Emma Hutchinson, managing director of LiveWire, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to input into the consultation process and for working with us over its duration.

“We have received a significant amount of feedback from residents across the town including some fantastic suggestions from councillors, parish councillors and residents as to how we could work with existing businesses and community groups across the town to deliver a wider range of services from existing library sites with a view to making the buildings financially sustainable.

“Understandably, some of the feedback received reflected residents’ concerns at the various proposals whilst others made suggestions about different ways of delivering LiveWire services in the future. 

“All feedback generated during the consultation process along with the 38 degrees petition, which has been signed by 10,711 people, alongside another petition for Culcheth Library, which received 890 signatures, will be included as part of the report to the council on the feedback from the consultation.”

Executive board member for culture, leisure and communities, Cllr Tony Higgins, said: “We have worked really hard to run an open, transparent consultation that has given everyone the chance to have their say on this important issue.

“I would like to reassure everyone that we are listening to your views.

“All suggestions are being taken on-board and no decisions have yet been made.

“We will now be taking some time to carefully consider all of the options before making final recommendations.”

The consultation responses will be analysed and a report on the findings will be presented to Warrington Borough Council, who will make the final decision on proposals, at the start of 2017.