A PLAN that would see Darlington’s Cockerton Library retained as a community-run service are set to be reviewed as part of authority budgeting proposals.

A steering group made up of a number of businesses and organisations in the village produced a strategy to save the library that stores 6,000 books by creating a cooperative-style hub.

Members of the Cockerton Library Cooperative have proposed that the site can remain open despite Darlington Borough Council plans to downsize Crown Street Library and withdraw the suspended mobile library service.

The group, which is a partnership between Cockerton residents, Darlington for Culture and the council, reported that around 60 members of public have registered an interest in volunteering at the library.

An agreement has also been reached that would support volunteers with 18 hours of professional staffing per week for up to five years to be reviewed after three years.

A council document prepared ahead of Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 17, to approve or reject the plans, stated: “It is clear from the impact assessment work and the recent needs assessment work that the closure of Cockerton Library will impact a number of vulnerable groups disproportionately.

“Under-17s have the highest usage levels of Cockerton Library, largely due to the regular visits from three local primary schools and 91 per cent of families indicated that they would no longer use the library service if Cockerton Library closed.”