Kirklees councillors will be asked to back a further cut in funding for libraries at a meeting of full council later this month.

Members of the council’s cabinet agreed this week to put the proposals for a £1.5m-plus reduction in funding for library services to a meeting of full council on February 15.

The proposed council budget for 2018-19 would see funding for the library service slashed from £3.9m to £2.2m. It follows a review of the library service in 2016-17 which resulted in saving of £1.85m.

Clr Graham Turner, cabinet member for resources, stressed that all 24 Kirklees libraries continued to be supported by the council with staff and back-office services.

He said: “We will work together to come up with the best possible outcome. We will engage with all the friends, staff and any outside organisations that might want to have an input.”

Chris Martin, chairman of the Friends of Heckmondwike Library, said: “We are very disappointed to hear the proposal for further huge cuts to the budget for libraries when the library service is still recovering from recent cuts and reorganisation.”

The group will hold a meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, February 28, in the wake of the full council’s decision.

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