COUNCIL bosses will make their final decision on reducing opening hours at nine libraries across the district next week.

A public consultation on cutting hours at Council-owned libraries took place over this Summer, and over 1,600 people had their say.

Overall the Council aimed to reduce opening hours at nine libraries - Keighley, Ilkley, Bingley, Shipley, Manningham, Eccleshill, Laisterdyke, Wibsey and Wyke.

The consultation asked library users what they would prefer to see – libraries close for an hour over the lunch period, or libraries opening later/closing earlier.

Although many of the responses called for the libraries to keep their existing opening hours, closing earlier or opening later was the option chosen by the majority.

At next Tuesday’s meeting of the Council’s Executive, members will be urged to chose the earlier closings over the lunchtime closings.

If approved, the changes would be introduced in April.

Here is an outline of the planned changes at each of the effected libraries

Bingley

Friday opening changed to 9am to noon (currently opens from 9am to 5pm) and Saturday opening  hours changed to 9.30am to 4.30pm (from 9am to 5pm).

Eccleshill

Change to a 9am to noon opening on Friday (currently 9am to 5pm) and 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday.

Ilkley

Ilkley Library will also close at noon on Friday and change to 9.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday.

Keighley

A noon closure on Friday and an earlier closure on Saturday (9am -4pm, down from 9am to 5pm).

Laisterdyke

9.30am to 12.30pm closure on Wednesday (currently 9.30am to 2pm) and Friday hours of 9.30am to 12.30pm (currently 9.30am to 5pm)

Manningham

Initial proposals were to close all day on Friday, but after the consultation the reduced hours will now be spread out to earlier closures on Wednesday (closing at 5pm instead of 7pm), Friday (2pm closure replacing a 5pm closure) and Saturday (3.30pm instead of 4pm).

Shipley

Half day closing on Monday (9am to noon instead of 9am to 5pm) and earlier closing on Saturday (4pm closure instead of 5pm).

Wibsey

Library will not open on Wednesdays (currently opens from 9.30am to 2pm), closes at 4pm on Friday, rather than 5pm, and 3.30pm on Saturday (currently closes at 4pm).

Wyke

Half day opening on Monday (12.30pm closure instead of 5pm) and 12.30pm closure on Wednesday instead of 2pm.

Initially City Library was not earmarked for any reduced hours, but responses during the consultation suggested the biggest library in the district should take its share of cuts. The city centre library will open an hour later (10am instead of 9am) on Saturdays.