Hampshire CC is awaiting a response from unions over plans to cut library spend by £1m in a restructure of the service. Leader of the council, Ken Thornber, said budget constraints meant that the reduction in the library spend could not be avoided, but the authority was determined not to actually close libraries. ‘The library restructure is essential to the continuing transformation of the library service, and I am able to announce that some progress has been made towards resolving the library dispute,' he explained. Library management and the unions met on 27 April to progress the situation, and it was stressed no compulsory redundancies would be made. The council is awaiting a response from the unions. The council recently came under fire from former employee, Peter Lawton, who hit out at the services, which are being cut in an e-mail to all council staff. Chief executive Peter Robertson said: ‘Of course, when services are undergoing transformation there will be some strong views, which I'm always happy to hear, although I regret Mr Lawton found it necessary to express his opinions in this way.'
