A COUNCIL accused of threatening the future of community libraries when it failed to waive business rates has made a U-turn.

Following extensive criticism, Hambleton District Council has agreed to award libraries discretionary rate relief for the next financial year.

In 2016, the council acted against the county’s six other district authorities who decided to waive the business rate charged to charitable organisations when it comes to community-run libraries.

Five of them – Stokesley, Easingwold, Bedale, Thirsk and Great Ayton – are in the Hambleton district, and were awarded a start-up grant of £5,000 to help with the initial running of community facilities.

Under the rules, community libraries receive an automatic 80 per cent reduction in business rates, and will now also qualify for the final 20 per cent of rates to be waived if they apply to the council.

Councillor Mark Robson, leader of the council, said: “Community libraries are a valuable resource for Hambleton, providing much more for their areas than traditional library activities.

“We have reviewed our criteria for awarding discretionary rate relief and have agreed that community libraries should qualify.”

In December 2016, the district council claimed granting an exemption to the voluntary ventures could leave the authority £1m down over ten years.

However, at a full council meeting Thirsk councillor Gareth Dadd, who is also North Yorkshire County Council’s deputy leader, told members that exempting the libraries would cost Hambleton just £10,000 of the remaining relief annually as it had emerged the government and county council would have to contribute.

Cllr Dadd, who welcomes the news, said: “Last year after many months of campaigning for this I am surprised but delighted to see this U-turn.”

County councillor Bryn Griffiths, of the Stokesley division, added: “It’s good to see Hambleton have finally seen sense and climbed down from an untenable position.”