COMMUNITY leaders have made a plea to keep a third library in Flintshire open.
Bagillt Library, along with the Garden City and Gwernymynydd sites, is set to close after budget cuts were approved by Flintshire Council on Tuesday.
But with Queensferry and Halkyn libraries set to stay open, Bagillt councillor Mike Reece has called for a rethink over the future of the site.
He said: “To take away this vital service from the village of Bagillt and expect members of the community such as school children to get buses to Flint or Holywell is just not going to work.
“The library is essential for those who do not have access to computers at home and to the further education of all ages.”
Flintshire Council has been forced to make the cuts after a reduced settlement from the Welsh Assembly Government and the impact of inflation.
Council chief executive Colin Everett has gone on record to say libraries would be safe from further cuts in coming years.
Ian Budd, Flintshire’s director of lifelong learning said he was “passionate” about libraries and said the council would be looking to work with community councils to try and keep libraries open.
Cllr Reece said: “I believe that this library should be developed as a one stop shop for council services providing access for the 3,000 plus residents of Bagillt to council services in general.
“The library is a very well used service and is only open for 13 hours on four days a week.
"I have handed in a petition containing nearly 700 signatures urging the council to reconsider its closure proposals and I would urge councillors to think carefully before taking this vital service from our community. I’d like to thank the people who signed the petition."
A spokesman for Flintshire Council said: "Unfortunately, we have not received a request from any local interest to enter into a agreement with us to continue services in the library building at Bagillt.
“In the absence of this, library services will be delivered through neighbouring libraries in Holywell and Flint, the mobile service and service for the housebound.”