A NEW lease of life has been granted to five of the borough's libraries, including Unsworth Library.

After the council closed ten of its libraries in a bid to save money, six of them were made available to community groups.

The other four libraries were given up as they were leased or retained for other services.

Bury Council invited residents to apply to take over a library by presenting their own business cases.

The former Unsworth Library, Sunny Bank Road, will be used by Elms Bank School for a community hub to provide a range of services for all ages and abilities. The plan is to re-engage young teenagers into learning.

In Whitefield the council is still looking for a suitable business plan to be put forward.

At the council meeting last week, leader Cllr Rishi Shori, said: "In Whitefield we are actively considering options including a local school and the business community but we don’t have a bid that crossed the line as it were."

Dumers Lane, Topping Fold and Tottington Library are all being leased to community groups.

They are going to Friends of Dumers Lane Community Centre, Topping Fold Tenants and Residents Association and Friends of Tottington Library respectively.

The Coronation Road Community Centre and Library, on the corner with Westminster Avenue, Radcliffe will be used by the council's Neighbourhood Working Team. To allow them to support residents to improve their quality of life.

Cllr Shori, said: "In advance of the scheduled next cabinet meeting, I have taken an urgent decision to announce the allocation of our former library buildings to local organisations.

"There are a number of issues still to work through with them, but hopefully this will go smoothly and I wish these groups success in their endeavours to keep these facilities open and used by the community.”

At the council meeting last Wednesday, Cllr Roy Walker asked why the hours of the remaining four libraries had been cut, arguing that had never been part of the consultation.

Children and families cabinet member Cllr Sharon Briggs, said: "The original plan was to have three, however four libraries will have to operate on the same financial figures as three would have. A lot of the money is down to staff and staff have been made redundant or chosen to leave.

"There’s not enough staff left to continue with the hours of the previous libraries."

However, she said that the libraries would be willing to work with volunteers.

The council shut ten of its libraries, leaving Bury, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom and Prestwich Libraries open.