A MAYOR said he was ‘massively disappointed’ with the council’s preferred option for a library service in Ulverston.

Councillor Graham Scrogham has labelled Westmorland and Furness Council’s preferred option of a co-located library service at the Coronation Hall a ‘cost saving exercise’.

The library on King’s Road closed in September 2023 after the discovery of electrical faults in the building during routine statutory checks.

Following the council taking over the management of the Coro in January, the temporary library has been located in the Supper Room at the Coro and is open in line with the King’s Road opening hours.

Westmorland and Furness council launched its consultation asking for feedback on proposals that would see ‘considerable investment’ in The Coro to create an ‘enhanced and expanded’ library service on July 10.

Cllr Scrogham said: “We feel we’re being railroaded down a cost saving exercise that’s been thinly disguised as that by Westmorland and Furness Council.”

“What’s massively annoying is they’ve spent an absolute fortune on architects and the computer rendering of how the Coro/library will look because that’s their preferred option.”

Cllr Scrogham also urged people to fill in the consultation and stated: “It’s the only way to get your voices heard.”

Councillor Peter Thornton, cabinet member for highways and assets at Westmorland and Furness Council said: “Rather than a ‘cost-saving exercise’, our proposed option looks to invest millions of pounds in Ulverston to enhance The Coro as an arts and cultural hub.”

An independent assessment found the remodelling of The Coronation Hall to create a café, meeting rooms and flexible community use spaces along with an enhanced library service would cost £2.5 million.

Cllr Thornton added: “I am surprised that some on the town council would be ‘massively disappointed’ at such a prospect, especially as it closely aligns with the ambitions of the Ulverston Place Plan that the town council was so involved in developing and is in line with national government guidance on co-location to ensure the best and most effective use of assets.”

“The proposed investment would include an expanded library that we believe offers opportunities to grow and develop the service, by increasingly making best use of the rest of The Coro for events and activities linked to the library, ensuring The Coro is in use by more people, for more of the time, and putting it even more firmly at the heart of the community.”

An independent assessment found the cost of refurbishing the King’s Road library to the standard of the Kendal or Barrow libraries would cost £1.9 million. Works would include heating and electrical works, roofing repair, fabric works and refurbishment.

The refurbishment of King’s Road to house a stand-alone library service and to re-model The Coro to create the community café and better community spaces but without the library service would cost £4.2 million, said the council.

Cllr Thornton added: “We believe the preferred option delivers an exciting, innovative and creative vision for the future of The Coro, with a co-located library service at the heart of its role as a community-focused building.

“We hope people responding to our consultation recognise this exercise is not simply about one building and we hope they take the time to read about and consider all the objectives when sharing their views.’’