CAMPAIGNERS from Church Stretton will get the chance to make a bid to run the library from its existing location in the town centre.

They had taken legal action against a previous decision by Shropshire Council to move the library to the school in the town.

Clive Wright, the chief executive of Shropshire Council, said it was a struggle to maintain frontline services in the current financial situation.

He said that the way is now clear for library campaigners to take on the library.

“There are no winners or losers when it comes to changes to services such as a library,” said Clive Wright.

“The council aims to find innovative solutions to maintaining services at low or no cost wherever we can, and we are grateful to everyone working with us to achieve this.”

He said claimed some people had got the incorrect information about the judicial review.

“Unfortunately, the events of the judicial review concerning Church Stretton have been misreported.

“Our Barrister was approached with a request from the Claimant’s lawyers to consider agreeing to the quashing of our decision to relocate Church Stretton Library and that they would not seek any legal costs against the Council.

“The Council agreed on a pragmatic basis to accept this very late offer and to give the Church Stretton Library Support Group the opportunity to submit an expression of interest to run the Library in accordance with the Localism Act.

“This decision was taken mainly because there would be no payment of legal costs by the Council and no further appeals.

“It is at best disappointing that Church Stretton Library Support Group failed to act on a suggestion made by the Council in 2015 that they could submit such an expression of interest, given the cost that has now been incurred to the public purse.”

He said that the Shropshire Council had consulted on its plan to move the library half a mile.

“The school would operate a public library service into the foreseeable future,” said Clive Wright.

“As a result of the Council agreeing to the Order to quash our decision, the Church Stretton Library Support Group will be able to put forward their proposition to fund and operate the Library and we will continue to work with them and any other groups who seek to contribute to the Council’s future plans and vision.”