A PURPOSE-built "one-stop shop" giving access to vital community services is likely to open in Tenbury by the end of the year.

An extension to the Teme Street library will house a new customer services centre if plans by Malvern Hills District and Worcestershire County Councils get the go ahead.

Access into and inside the Library will also be significantly improved for disabled and elderly residents and visitors.

John McIlveen, head of business support and customer services at MHDC, said the process of gaining planning approval could start towards the end of April.

"We are not quite at the stage of submitting the planning application but we have worked on the design for the customer contact centre for some time and we look to be at the stage where we are more or less happy with it.

MHDC would seek to start work as soon as possible and it is possible that the project could be completed by the end of the year "assuming all goes well."

Tenbury residents will be able to enjoy the convenience of accessing local authority services under one roof should the development get the go ahead.

"We want to replicate the customer service centre in Malvern but on a smaller scale so that we can create a seamless customer service environment for the people of Tenbury so everything is available in one place," said Mr McIlveen.

The Citizens Advice Bureau will be accommodated in the building and council tax payments will be able to be made "over-the-counter". Residents will also be able to use the centre to receive information and raise concerns about services provided by the council.

The leader of MHDC, Coun. Di Rayner, may hold surgeries at the centre, along with planning officers.

"It has got to be beneficial to have all our services in one place," Mr McIlveen said. "This is a much-needed facility and it has been our intention for a while to increase the level of service provision and we think this will go a long way towards that."

Mr McIlveen added that MHDC had been working with the library service to re-configure the use of the building to make the best use of available space and to make access easier for disabled and elderly people.

"The library will benefit from the installation of a lift which will make for much easier access to the first floor," he said. "We are also thinking of improving access by moving the main entrance to a more convenient location as the current entrance is not ideal for disabled and elderly people."