RESIDENTS flocked to a parish meeting to hear possible options about the future of their library in Stokenchurch with one thing made clear- things cannot stay the same.

Buckinghamshire County Council has to reduce the cost of the library service by a further £688, 000 over the next three years.

It is looking at 26 libraries in the county and proposing a “county and community” model with county services at nine locations and “community partnerships” at 14 smaller libraries, including Stokenchurch. Three other libraries have been supported by £1.5million from the Big Lottery.

David Jones, service delivery manager for BCC- Culture and Learning, spoke to a packed Stokenchurch parish council meeting last night.

He said: “We are looking for the support of the parish council to mobilise local people to come to meetings.

“We want to ensure we can hang onto the library but to do so at a lower cost.”

The parish council said the county has its backing.

Mr Jones said the Stokenchurch library in Wycombe Road costs more than £40,000 to run and has an income of £2,900.

He said a model the county are looking at is working with the community to keep the library open. This could mean volunteers running it, or looking at other ways to use the building when the library is not open, although one member of the public pointed out the building is very small.

Mr Jones said there is “no particular target” for Stokenchurch, which is open 17 hours a week, but added later “things can't actually stay the same.”

He spoke about West Wycombe, Chalfont St Giles and Little Chalfont libraries which are run by the community. He said they were closed five to six years ago but were re-open when the communities joined together and for example, in West Wycombe, it is also a cake shop.

A member of the public said: “We have very little in our village. It just seems everything we have got someone comes along and takes it away because we are the little person.”

The consultation exercise finishes in February. The meeting will be followed by 14 workshop style meetings to discuss ideas and suggestions.

For more information about the consultation and to have your say call 01296382160 or email www.buckscc.gov.uk/haveyoursay