LIBRARY: Cash windfall of £2m to help improve services

Thursday, August 21, 2008
6:38 PM

THE Big Lottery has confirmed a £2m grant which will help transform Wisbech Library and the services it provides for the community. The Cambridgeshire County Council library is the third busiest in the county and Library, Archive and Information Service s

THE Big Lottery has confirmed a £2m grant which will help transform Wisbech Library and the services it provides for the community.

The Cambridgeshire County Council library is the third busiest in the county and Library, Archive and Information Service staff struggled to meet the demand in the current accommodation.

But now the Big Lottery has confirmed the windfall.

Planning permission for refurbishment and extension work is currently being sought and work could start as soon as October.

In all, the scheme to modernise the facilities will cost over £2.5m, with the extra funding coming from the county council.

The plan is to extend and remodel the current building at ground and first floor level to give it a LearnDirect learning centre, a community meeting room and better facilities throughout - more room for children, new toilets and a lift.

Local people have been involved in planning the project from the very beginning.

Hundreds of people took part in the consultation that helped prepare the bid to the Big Lottery and customers alongside local groups and organisations continue to work with the council to design the library and shape the new facilities it will provide.

County council cabinet member for communities and Fenland county councillor Fred Yeulett, said: "Local people have played a vital role by giving their opinion on the kind of Library services they wanted to see in Wisbech and the improvements that needed to be made to provide the town with a first class Library service."

When work starts, the Library will move to a temporary home in the Queen Mary Centre during the 15-month construction programme.

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