A LEAKED document from Swindon Council officers suggested replacing more than half of Swindon’s libraries with mobile services.

The paper, entitled Value For Money Savings 2009/10, suggests a number of options to shave as much as £280,000 off the library budget.

The paper, which was not intended to be seen by the public, was handed to library campaigner Shirley Burnham. It says nine libraries, out of 16 in total, are considered for cuts including using volunteers or could be moved to schools or sports centres.

The libraries mentioned are Covingham, Liden, Moredon and Rodbourne Cheney, Penhill and Pinehurst.

Cuts in service to Old Town, Gorse Hill and Even Swindon have already been suggested and consultation will run until June.

Walcot library will be re-opened as a community library, staffed by volunteers, in April.

Labour leader Coun Kevin Small said: “I think there is a clear agenda from the Conservative administration since the Central Library has been built to remove the branch libraries.

“They need to be reminded that the central library is not a replacement for branch libraries.”

Coun Nick Martin, lead member for sustainability, transport and strategic planning, said: “During the budget planning process lots of ideas are floated but not all of those are taken forward. That is why these documents are kept classified.

“We talked about a number of options but we came forward eventually with the suggestions for Old Town and Walcot, because they were affected by other libraries. Old Town, because it is so close to the new central library, and Walcot because it is in a similar situation with regard to Parks.

“Then, when it became clear that we needed to make more savings we were forced to look at Even Swindon and Gorse Hill. We have a situation in Swindon where 70 per cent of our lending is coming from four libraries. We need to cut costs but we are trying to do that in a way that ensures book lending can continue in those areas.”

Coun Martin did not rule out the use of volunteers, as taken up by Walcot library, in other areas.

He said: “It is an innovative way of keeping a library service and that’s what we are looking at in this consultation. The problem is the staffing costs but if we can find charitable organisations or members of the community who are willing to work with us then it could be an interesting solution.”