THE mobile library service which currently operates around Wyre Forest is being altered from February 1.

Worcestershire County Council confirmed that changes to the service, as well as the Library Service at Home (LSAH), will see the mobile libraries based in Stourport, Malvern and Evesham scrapped and replaced with one vehicle to cover the entire county.

Currently, the mobile library visits villages every three weeks, but the altered service will see the library only appear every four to five weeks, with some stops removed or repositioned.

The cuts have been made by the council following an “extensive” consultation period and a review of responses it received from customers.

County councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for localism and communities, said: “We had a really good response from our customers to our consultation and everyone's responses have been carefully considered in the decision making process.

“It is unfortunate, but in order for us to continue to meet the financial challenges we are faced with, we do have to make changes to both the mobile library service and the library service at home.

“We can however confirm that by combining a range of delivery options and location stops everyone who currently receives a service will continue to do so, it just might be delivered in a way which is different to the way it is currently provided.

“The council is committed to ensuring that all LSAH customers will continue to receive a service and is working with respondents who have stated they would no longer be able to get to the mobile library in its new location due to disability or infirmity.

“We will continue to review these changes over the next 12 months and make adjustments where necessary.”

The new mobile library vehicle will be fitted with wi-fi and has a meeting room space. It will service 20 routes with 267 stops taking in a total of 175 villages.