CAMELFORD Town Council has agreed to take on the running of the town’s library.

At the meeting on December 20, mayor of Camelford, Rob Rotchell, said town councillors voted in agreement to ‘the general power of competence’, which he said allows the town council to move forward with the process of taking on the running of the library from Cornwall Council.

The library service is in the town hall, and the building, he said, is owned by the town trust. He told the Post: “We will now begin the process of discussing with Cornwall Council the library service — and the town trust, who actually physically own the building.

“Agreeing the general power of competence formally allows the council to proceed, but there is still a bit of work to be done.”

He also said the plan is to relocate the town council office from its current location into the town hall, so the town hall would house the library and one stop shop service, and the town council.

Cllr Rotchell, who is also the Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Camelford, added: “It’s a big task but we are optimistic.”

He spoke of recent dialogue between the town council and members of the public: “We went out to consultation — three events with the people of the town. The response was 97% of people wanted us to continue to run the library — quite an overwhelming response.”

Cllr Rotchell added ‘it’s going to cost us money to do it’ — the Post in October reported that the town council informed residents in order to run the library, it would cost them an extra 50p a week on top of their existing tax for a band D property.