Twyford

Wokingham District Council leader Frank Browne has sparked fury by telling Twyford if it wants a new library then villagers should foot the bill themselves.

Cllr Browne dismissed a 1,400 Twyford signature-petition, saying the district council would not buy an empty high street pub to replace the ageing temporary Twyford library it provided 20 years ago.

Instead, he said it was up to Twyford parish council to raise the money through increasing its precept to buy the empty JW Green's site in London Road, seen by many as the ideal location. All hopes were dashed at a meeting of the full council on Thursday as Cllr Browne already on record as saying Wokingham district is an affluent area where people who wanted books bought them rather than went to a library said: 'I suggest the community goes to the parish council who have tax raising powers and if they feel so strongly they can raise funds themselves.'

He added residents must ask Twyford parish council to include the purchase of the building in its precept and it could then work in partnership with the district council. But this contradicted an earlier comment by Cllr Dianne King who is in charge of the district's library services. She said: 'I am not sure it is possible for residents to purchase a facility we have to provide as a statutory responsibility.' Cllr Browne also said £800,000 was needed for the project a figure disputed by campaigners.

Cllr Stephen Conway who has been campaigning for a Twyford library on the JW Green's site since January, said: 'The figures are misleading. The cost of the plan is nearer £500,000 than £1m. Pensioners representative Norman Raybone presented a petition of 1,400 names including hundreds collected through the Twyford Advertiser's New Chapter Campaign. Cllr Browne said the council should be building community facilities around schools but he was committed to improving library facilities in the village.

Twyford Village