Two weeks after the meeting held in Ross, which many people attended hoping to discover the exact nature of the cuts to Ross Library Service, the situation is still far from clear.

At the meeting on May 23rd, which was organised by MP Jesse Norman, the Council suggested that volunteers or organisations could take over responsibility for some of the services currently provided by Herefordshire Council. This included Ross Library.

Many members of the Ross Library Development Group and their supporters attended the Larruperz meeting hoping for clarity about the scale and type of cuts that will affect Herefordshire Libraries. They were reassured by the message that the Library will not close, because the Council has a statutory duty to keep it open, however there is still confusion about how this will happen.

Two notices of motion have been added to the next Ross Town Council agenda for their meeting on June 10th. These both agree to pursue discussions regarding the town's 'busy library and popular heritage centre'.

The notice proposed by Councillor Chris Bartrum and seconded by Councillor David Ravenscroft asks the Town Council to resolve to:?"Consider and explore all options for the delivery of Herefordshire Council Services in Ross-on-Wye."

According to the Mayor of Ross, Cllr Bartrum, full details about all the services which might be handed over to Ross Town Council have not yet been passed on by Herefordshire Council.

MP Jesse Norman has called a further public meeting to discuss the future of Herefordshire's Library Service on Thursday, June 6th at the Starlite Rooms, Hereford United at 6pm.

He said that the purpose of the meeting is to allow the Council and the Library Service to put all the relevant facts on the table, and to have a full and open debate about the issues, and about future options.

For the full story please see this week's Ross Gazette.