A FINAL decision on whether to close some Hampshire libraries for good is going to be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak – but it will still be made this year, it has been revealed.

Cllr Sean Woodward,  executive member for recreation and heritage at Hampshire County Council, said a decision on the future of the county 48 libraries  was expected to be made at the beginning of June but it will now be delayed.

He said a new date has not been set yet but he stressed that the decision is still expected to be taken this summer.

It comes as thousands of residents had their say on the proposals put forward by the county council.

As previously reported, the number of libraries across the county could drop from 48 to 38 and the remaining ones could see a 15% reduction in their opening hours as the county council is aiming to save £1.76m by 2021.

The plans also included proposals for all  48 council-run libraries to remain open but with their opening hours reduced by 25%.

As part of the public consultation residents were also asked to suggest alternative options.

Cllr Woodward has now said that the responses are currently being considered.

“We have had 21,000 responses, the largest number we have ever had. The decision is going to be later than the beginning of June. It is going to be rather later in the summer,” he added.

Meanwhile, last week the council reported an “unprecedented”  770% increase in people joining the libraries’ digital service as libraries were closed last month due to the pandemic. 

When asked what impact the growth in digital service users will have on the final decision, Cllr Woodward said: “It is certainly something I will be taking into account . I think we have already had that trend.”

It comes as in January this year the county council said the borrowing of digital eBooks and eAudio from 2016 to 2019 increased by 62% while the borrowing of print books has decreased by 25%.

Cllr Woodward also stressed that should the authority decide to propose a change in the libraries opening hours there will be another public consultation.

As previously reported, the libraries at risk of closure are the ones in Blackfield and Lyndhurst in the New Forest, Fair Oak Library in Fair Oak, Chineham and South Ham libraries in Basingstoke, Elson library in Gosport, Emsworth library in Havant, Horndean in East Hampshire,Lee-on-the-Solent library in Gosport and Odiham library in Hart.

Additionally, Kingsclere Community Library, Lowford Community Library, Milford-on-Sea Community Library and North Baddesley Community Library could be turned into independent community-managed libraries, meaning they will no longer be supported by the county council and will have to be run entirely by volunteers.