Library team prepared to hand back control to county

Thornton Cleveleys gala committee had submitted detailed proposals to take over the facility.

But following a change of leadership at Lancashire County Council, the authority is re-opening libraries across the county, closed by the previous Labour administration.

The gala committee says it could now abandon plans to take over the running of the library and hand it back to county control, with essential safeguards in place for the future of the Four Lane Ends centre.

Emma Ellison, who helped put together the bid, said: “A new proposal to Lancashire County Council has been suggested.

“We retract our bid and allow LCC to reopen the Library, but we create a Friends of Thornton Group, that would work with the council to introduce the community facilities, events and groups.

“The proceeds of these would go towards the funding of Thornton Library and provide security for the library’s future.

“Should the library ever been in jeopardy again we will have the ability to take over immediately and finance the library ourselves.”

Lancashire County Council has not made a final decision on how Thornton will be returned to public use.