CONCERNS are growing about cuts to library opening hours across Worcestershire - with council chiefs urged to scrap the move.

As the Worcester News revealed in April, opening hours at 17 different libraries face the chop as part of a county council proposal to save £1 million.

Bosses want to lose a total of 78.5 opening hours a week as well as axe jobs, introduce "unstaffed periods" inside the buildings and increase library fees.

The authority insists no decisions have been made, and has now announced a series of consultation events so people can have a say.

But councillors in different parts of the county have urged a re-think, with some claiming their local libraries have been unfairly targeted.

Labour Councillor Richard Udall represents St John's, which could lose its weekly late-night open evenings on Tuesdays.

He said: "This is disgraceful, I often attend the library on Tuesday evenings for councillor surgeries.

"It is well used by children and adults who don't have a computer at home and need access to online facilities.

"Other groups including a chess club use the library during the evening.

"St John's is an area with one of the lowest computer ownerships in the county - we should be expanding library hours, not reducing them."

The reductions were also debated during a full council meeting last week, with the opposition Labour group claiming the Conservative leadership is "putting the knife in".

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said: "Everyone knows that when you reduce the opening hours, you stop people getting access to IT, you stop people who are out of work being able to go in and get on."

It was rubbished by Councillor Simon Geraghty, the leader, who said he was "proud" that not a single library has closed despite saving £2.4 million so far.

"I'm proud, actually, that we've kept so many of our libraries open," he said.

"If you look across the country so many other areas have shut libraries, this council isn't in the business of doing that.

"Of course we have to listen to communities, and I'm sure during the summer when we look at this, we'll reflect on all the views."

Under the proposals, of the 22 libraries across Worcestershire 17 face reductions with only the Hive, Warndon, Woodrow, Wythall and Catshill staying the same.

Stourport could be the worst hit and is expected to lose 14 hours a week and shut completely on Wednesdays while Pershore would lose four hours, Evesham 5.5 hours, Malvern six hours and the rest anywhere from 1.5 to eight hours per week.

The council says most libraries will be displaying details of their proposed changes from this Monday, May 23, for the whole week.

Library managers will also be available to answer questions and take feedback at specific times, including between 10am-noon this Monday at St John's.

* SPECIAL REPORT: Opening hours face the chop at 17 different Worcestershire libraries in £1m cutbacks