LEDBURY people have until next week to let their views be heard on future library provision in the town – a public consultation comes to an end on Thursday.

Herefordshire Council is carrying out the survey to explore all options, including the closure of some facilities in the county, or reduced opening hours for surviving libraries.

Ledbury’s mediaeval Master’s House is set to re-open in late summer 2014 and house Ledbury’s new library, and Councillor Roger Phillips, the cabinet member with the responsibility for library provision, gave a strong indication in late May this was the council’s intention.

Coun Phillips said at the time: “All the libraries are different.

There are different solutions in different places.

“I am clear the Master’s House project will still go ahead, and I have confirmed that with all local members.”

However, it is not known how much the new library’s opening hours would be reduced.

Coun Liz Harvey and Coun Peter Watts, two Ledbury county councillors, have urged people to get involved and answer questionnaires.

These are available from the council’s customer services office in the Victorian section of the Master’s House, or from Ledbury Library, which is currently housed in the Elizabeth Barrett Browning Institute in the High Street.

This building lacks disabled access and is rented, not owned, by Herefordshire Council – prompting the initial plans to move the library into the restored Master’s House, a £2.9 million project.

Coun Harvey said of the consultation process: “This will inform how the cuts to the library service will fall here in Ledbury – so it’s really important that as many people as possible respond and provide their views.

“It is important that the council receives a rounded response from the users in the Ledbury area so that our needs and priorities are understood and then inform what happens next.”

Coun Watts said: “Luckily, we will be one community that will still have a library, but there is the question about the hours that the staff work.

“I urge people to fill in the questionnaire.”

The results of the consultation will be published on September 12.