Councillors have debated how to slash £1.85m from Kirklees’ libraries budget.

The long running threat to libraries has been looming since government cuts began to impact council coffers in 2011 with volunteers sought to take over.

Projects to utilise community help at Denby Dale, Kirkheaton and Honley libraries, where volunteers support one paid member of staff to deliver frontline services, has begun.

But a year ago councillors revealed they were thinking of axing all but two libraries – Huddersfield and Dewsbury – with a loss of 100 jobs.

Research gathered since then has revealed some support for getting volunteers in to help run the majority of Kirklees’ 26 libraries.

Concerns remain, however, about the practicalities of integrating volunteers.

Two options have been outlined to help maintain the network of libraries in towns and villages allowing volunteers to support a professional librarian or asking volunteers to run a facility on their own.

A third option is to axe the majority of libraries and leave only the main libraries in Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Batley with a healthy level of professional staff.

Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet member for libraries, said the status quo was not an option.

“I don’t want to cut any services,” he said. “That’s not why I got into public service.

“But this debate isn’t about buildings, it’s about services.”

Tory leader Clr Robert Light said they didn’t support the scale of the reduction to the library budget.

He added: “Having said that, the library service does need to change. We need to encourage the volunteers that are showing an interest and not scare them away.”

Lindley Lib Dem Clr Cahal Burke said closing libraries was a “false economy” as they had great value for learning and community well being.

Holme Valley North independent, Clr Edgar Holroyd-Doveton, said: “Experience up and down the country where it’s just volunteers running libraries, is they’ve gone under.

“I do believe it’s feasible in the budget that one member of paid staff is provided.”

Proposals on what to do will be finalised in September.