Lostock Hall library next in Lancashire closures

As Lancashire County Council looks to save £200m by 2020, Lostock Hall Library will close its doors for the last time as more than 200 buildings begin shutting.

It has been confirmed the library will close on November 30 at 12.30pm. The children’s centre will close on the same day at 5pm.

Community groups were invited to come forward to take control of the closing libraries, but no suitable offer has come forward for the South Ribble library.

The closure is part of plans announced in May to reduce the number of buildings the council owns and rents, and form a network of multi-functional buildings known as neighbourhood centres, which will provide a base for a range of different services in one place. It will result in changes to where some services are delivered in the future, including libraries, children’s services, children’s centres, young people’s centres, youth offending teams, older people’s daytime support services, adult disability day services and the registration service.

The nearest libraries to Lostock Hall will now be Kingsfold library in Penwortham, Leyland library and Preston’s Harris library. The nearest children’s centres will be Stoneygate children’s centre, Preston and Wade Hall children’s centre, Leyland.

Leader of the county council County Coun Jenny Mein said when plans were announced: “The severity of the county council’s financial position cannot be overstated, and the ongoing cuts in central government funding combined with rising demand for our services mean the only way we can maintain the services that people rely on is to deliver them in a different way.”

You can find out more at www.lancashire.gov.uk.