THE CASH-STRAPPED Vale Council is putting the future of its library services out to public consultation.

The authority began a review in September and decided library staff and Vale residents should be asked for their views on how the service might be provided in the future.

The provision of a library service is one of the council’s ‘statutory’ duties, meaning law requires it to provide the service.

But the council said budget cuts left no alternative but to look at new ways to provide services.

Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for adult services Councillor Stuart Egan, who is leading the library review working group, said: “We know our library staff provide a successful and popular service and we want to look at how we can best protect our libraries now and in the future. Many councils are trying new ways of working with communities to create sustainable library services and we want to do this too.

“It is not only the financial challenges we are facing, the internet is changing the way many people use libraries. As part of the review we will be looking at some of the innovations introduced elsewhere to see if they would work here in the Vale to provide modern affordable services. We’ll be talking to our library customers, staff and Vale residents in general, to find out how we can best provide the service that people want, while still meeting our challenging savings targets.”

The consultation survey is on www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk, from Wednesday, November 20, until Sunday, December 15.

The survey will be available in libraries from Monday, November 18.

The first report on the library service review went to the council’s lifelong learning scrutiny committee on Monday, November 11.

The report can be seen on its website and the review is expected to be completed in March 2014.

It was recently revealed the Vale Council spent almost £53,000 on chairs for its council chamber.