Campaigners in Reading have been given a glimmer of hope that libraries could have hours increased.

Hours were reduced in six of Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) seven libraries last year, in an attempt to save the cash-strapped authority £211,000.

The council has offered community organisations the opportunity to present proposals for extending opening hours of their local libraries.

Councillor Sarah Hacker, lead member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation, warned that hours could only be increased on a branch by branch basis and did not offer a guarantee that any proposals would be accepted.

Priority will be given to libraries where the greatest impact could be made to support children’s reading.

Cllr Hacker said: “It is an aspiration of the service to open libraries for longer if funding allows in the future.

“Whilst this is not currently possible, should a community organisation come forward with proposal for extending opening hours of any branch to enable access to the service outside of core operating hours, this would be welcomed and explored further.”

Liberal Democrat campaigner Hilary Smart asked the council to extend library opening hours during the school holidays at RBC’s most recent Policy committee on Monday, February 18.

She said: "I understand the budgetary constraints the council is operating under but I feel strongly that the library is an important resource.

“The council should stop blindly cutting everything and start being more creative.

“School holidays are only a quarter of the year, and they are a time when the library is at its busiest. Extending library hours in the school holidays would add a lot of value.”

The busiest period for all libraries in Reading is across summer when the national Summer Reading Challenge runs.

Cllr Hacker said it is not possible to increase hours during school holidays within existing budgets as the annual cost across all branches would be ‘at least £20,000’.

RBC’s Policy committee voted to reduce opening hours at six of its seven libraries in July, at a estimated saving of £211,000. The reductions were introduced in September and October 2018.

The local authority will have had its central government funding cut by £58m by 2020.