MOBILE library stops in the Basingstoke area are among those to be axed as part of Hampshire County Council’s bid to cut costs.

As previously reported in The Gazette, the council drew up a list earlier this year of mobile library stops that could be withdrawn across the county, including 16 in the borough.

Now, following a three-month consultation, it has been confirmed that 11 of these shortlisted stops are set to be scrapped from January 1, 2015, with four to be saved and one relocated.

Those that will continue are the Campbell Road stop, in Bramley, the Village Green stop, in Newnham, the Corner House stop, in Weston Patrick, and the stop in Litchfield.

The Rooksdown stop will be moved to the community centre, and all five stops will be made once every four weeks.

Stops now facing the chop include two in Basingstoke at Hanover Gardens, in Cranbourne, and at Pemberley House, a care home in Grove Road.

Rural communities in Bradley, Crux Easton, Deane, East End, Pamber Heath, Woolton Hill, Cliddesden, Sherfield-on-Loddon and Stratfield Saye will also lose their mobile library service.

The council claims these mobile library stops have poor usage and are expensive to run. It claims that the average cost per book issued from a mobile library is £2.52, compared to £1.05 from a branch library or discovery centre.

The service takes library books to rural communities, nursing homes and the housebound.

The cuts will be rubber-stamped on September 16.

As previously reported, Kingsclere library, in the Village Club, is set to be lose its staff, with the hope that local volunteers will run it.

A decision was due to be made by the county council this month, but has been deferred as discussions are still ongoing with volunteers.

The final decision is expected to be taken on December 4.

Councillor Keith Chapman, the county’s executive member for culture, recreation and countryside, said: “Where there are recommendations to reduce or change services, I will be carefully considering what appropriate, alternative provision is available nearby and that provision is protected for as many local people as possible.”