There are no plans to close or relocate Hucknall Library and suggestions to the contrary are 'nonsense' according to key Conservative Councillors on Nottinghamshire County Council.

Last month, during the Council's budget meeting, Councillor John Cottee, the authority's communities chairman, said: "I'm happy to … confirm this administration will maintain Nottinghamshire's network of 60 libraries and its mobile provision through to 2025."

This statement seemed to guarantee the future of Hucknall Library.

However, he continued: "The only qualification to that statement is to emphasise I'm talking about libraries rather than buildings."

There was no obvious indication that this comment was referencing Hucknall Library. Since the meeting though, there have been strong rumours that the library would be relocated from South Street to the new £15.7million council offices that are due to be built on the development at Top Wighay Farm, on the edge of Hucknall, Linby, and Annesley.

When approached by Hucknall Nub News, Councillor Cottee was quick to rubbish these rumours.

He said: "I've been involved in libraries at Nottinghamshire County Council for over 20 years and I ain't closing a library. It's been spelt out into the council chamber, and I spoke at the council budget meeting at the end of February, and I quite clearly stated we are not closing any libraries in my time. The authority has agreed we're not closing libraries. We're not moving Hucknall Library."

Councillor Cottee also said that if there were any plans to move the library, this would not happen without consulting local councillors and the community but that there were no plans for it to be moved.

The issue was also raised in yesterday's (Wednesday 9 March) Economic Development and Asset Management Committee Meeting.

Councillor Dave Shaw who represents Hucknall West for the Ashfield Independents asked: "…Will it include reducing the number of libraries we've got by putting them into that building?"

This provoked an angry response from Conservative Councillor Keith Girling who chairs the Committee.

He said: "I'll answer the bit about libraries. This Council, no matter what political persuasion it was, has been very supportive of the libraries.

"We always fight for our libraries and we're passionate about our libraries, so the nonsense that's going about about libraries under threat is nonsense, absolute nonsense.

"What we are doing, however, so if you take for example Ollerton Library, which is in a CLASP building and it's not suitable for people to access it because of how old it is, and if you're disabled you can't get in, we are looking to either rebuild or relocate that library to the benefit of the community.

"So if the library is in a decent place and is a good library it will stay. If the library needs sorting out, we will look at the best way of that, but they will stay in the community where they are so they can be accessed by the community."

Councillor Shaw, then said: "All I'm asking is that if you're going to move Hucknall Library into the new building, the new building is in Gedling."

Councillor Girling responded: "Who's said anything about moving a library, you're talking about Hucknall Library aren't you? So you show me where anywhere, anywhere it's been said that Hucknall Library will be moved. (You) Can't because it hasn't. The only way it's been said it'll be moved is by you lot (Ashfield Independents) saying it's in jeopardy, I've seen the video."

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, Councillor Girling said: "I'm responsible for the Top Wighay building being built. It's coming through my committee and it's my final decision.

"At no point, in any way shape or form has it been suggested, mooted, or hinted that the library would go there. Why on earth would we put the library there and make it less accessible to people? It just doesn't make sense. We wouldn't do it in any stretch of the imagination, would we want to do it, or do it because it doesn't make any practical sense."

He was also critical of the Ashfield Independents for fuelling the rumours.

"They want to create some sort of untrue story about the nasty Conservatives are going to close the library and they then save that library. It's pathetic, weak, and disingenuous."

For further information about Hucknall Library and the services it offers, please click here.