THERE will be no U-turn on plans to move Old Town Library into the Arts Centre, according to the councillor in charge of the project.

Coun Fionuala Foley, Swindon Council’s deputy leader, said she hoped the move would be completed by April 2010 at the latest.

At a meeting on Tuesday evening Swindon councillors and officers discussed the future direction of the town’s 15 libraries.

Coun Foley was challenged by Old Town Library campaigner Shirley Burnham on whether cabinet would backtrack on plans to move the facility into the Devizes Road arts centre.

“I have no intention of doing a u-turn,” said Coun Foley.

“My wish is to keep Old Town Library open.

“While I am lead member it will not feature in any budget round.”

Lib Dem leader Stan Pajak pushed Coun Foley on the exact date for the move, saying it would difficult to carry out this year.

Coun Foley said: “We are waiting for a report, which should be through by November, but we are hoping to be in by the end of this financial year.”

In July Swindon Council’s cabinet members voted to cut the number of staff members at Old Town and Even Swindon and replace Gorse Hill library with a mobile service.

At the Old Town facility autistic volunteers will help the remaining librarian.

At the meeting Old Town resident Terry King also sought reassurances that Old Town would not be losing a vital community resource.

He said: “The social value of branch libraries is tremendously important. They are one of the few places where people still meet for a natter.

“It would be very unfortunate if the social value of a library like Old Town’s was overtaken by the wonderful new central library. There is a place for both.”

Coun Justin Tomlinson urged the council’s library department to take an example from the leisure services in setting up library forums.

He said: “It is vitally important that residents are involved in planning the future because we are talking about their libraries. I know a lot of libraries already have very strong ‘friends of’ groups.

Coun Foley agreed that users would be an integral part of planning any strategy for the future of libraries.