ALL residents of Launceston and surrounding parishes should have access to the library if the town council takes on the running of it — whether those parishes contribute financially or not, according to a town councillor.

The comment came at a meeting of the town council last week when another councillor suggested parishioners should not be able to use the library if their parishes were not prepared to contribute.

Cllr Paul O’Brien proposed writing to the surrounding parishes for some indication as to whether there would be a level of financial support to the town council if it ended up with the responsibility of running the library.

Cllr John Conway seconded the proposal, but added: “I think it needs to go a little bit further. What we have got to be prepared to do is — if you don’t decide to support this library your parishioners can’t use it.

“Those that don’t pay shouldn’t be allowed to use it.”

Cllr John Harris said he would not want to see people having to show ID to go into a library: “It’s just so divisive. There has to be a way around that. If it means Launceston itself pays for its library so be it, but I don’t want to see a guard on the door saying ‘you come from Tregadillett — you can’t come in, go away’.”

The council voted to contact rural councils to see if they would be prepared to consider a contribution should the town council take over the running of the library.

The council was updated on a meeting about the library, on November 13, between some town councillors and representatives from Cornwall Council.

Town clerk Rita Skinner pointed out the town council had not committed to taking on the library.

She added of Cornwall Council’s plan to devolve library and One Stop Shop services: “It’s less urgent than it was. They would now like to see one or two library services devolved in the next financial year.

“There is a bit of breathing space for transfers.”

Cllr Dave Gordon said: “There are serious funding concerns in my opinion. The outlying parishes that use our library — is there going to be financial support from there if it gets to that stage?

“The building hasn’t been touched for five years. It should be passed on fully up to date and useable.

“The people of this town could be lumbered with a very large increase on precept and they should be made aware every step of the way.”

Ms Skinner suggested that the follow up to the meeting with Cornwall Council representatives should be a council visit to the library, to meet the chief librarian.

Deputy mayor Cllr Margaret Young said the visit is to take place on Saturday, November 28 after the library has closed. She said it would give a chance for councillors to ‘discuss what we could do, what isn’t possible and discuss the whole thing’.

Cllr Paul O’Brien said of the recent meeting with Cornwall Council: “We made it clear we weren’t diametrically opposed to the idea of taking it over, but we need to explore all the ins and outs to find out what would be the deal on offer.”

He said one of his ‘personal bottom lines’ is that the freehold ‘has got to come over’.