COUNCIL bosses in East Yorkshire have drawn up a five-year plan to cut the cost of running the region’s libraries – but it will not lead to branches closing.

The strategy, which will be discussed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s cabinet next week, is aimed at creating a “lean and modern” library service, with one of its main aspects being how technology can be used to help the authority meet its budget targets.

It says libraries in East Yorkshire will continue to be run by the council “for the foreseeable future”, but leaves the door open for “other management models” – possibly involving community groups – to be looked at over the period up to 2017.

The report also says that while costs will need to be reduced, the intention is to make sure it does not affect access to branches and services.

The plan, compiled by Coun Richard Burton, the authority’s portfolio holder for civic wellbeing and culture, and director of environment and neighbourhood services Nigel Leighton, following a consultation exercise, said meeting the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, families and older people would be one of the priorities for the next five years.

“We want to deliver a high-quality, modern library service which meets the challenges of our predominantly rural area at a lower net cost while meeting the needs of both present and future customers,” said the report.

“Technology, for example, will influence how library services will be delivered and how our staff will serve the customers of tomorrow, and East Yorkshire’s population is also ageing and becoming more diverse.

“Libraries will have to respond to all these changes in imaginative and innovative ways.”

A quarter of the spaces on the council’s Summer Reading Challenge programme will be reserved for children from disadvantaged families.