WARRINGTON and Halton Green Party has slammed LiveWire over its library closure proposals and urged it to reconsider immediately.

The Greens also believe replacing libraries with lending lockers will be detrimental to communities across the town.

The party's education spokesman Harry Gibbins said: "What's most alarming about LiveWire's proposals for Warrington's libraries is the suggestion that the only options available are doing nothing, massively cutting opening hours, or so-called 'future proofing', which consists largely of replacing libraries with book lockers.

"According to the National Literacy Trust, children who use libraries are twice as likely to read well as those who don't and reading well has a massive impact on life chances.

"The experience of going to a library is a social one for children, who are able to browse, compare and discuss books with family and friends.

"Crucially, libraries can provide a social lifeline for older people, a number of whom are not IT literate.

"Replacing our libraries with digital catalogues and lending lockers will, therefore, deprive our communities of a vital service.

"LiveWire's proposals for 'modernisation' are by no means the only way to improve library usage and efficiency.

"The 'cultural hubs' system in St Helens, for instance, has proven that we can reinvigorate our libraries and turn them into multi-purpose, sustainable and local facilities.

"On this basis, Warrington and Halton Green Party urges LiveWire to reconsider its proposals."