PROPOSALS to place a library inside a community centre have been ditched by a cash-strapped council.

The fledgling Blurton Hub facility will instead have a "community book collection", which Stoke-on-Trent City Council want volunteers to manage.

The move to downscale the book-lending facility at Blurton is part of the authority's plans to save £100,000 by reducing the opening hours at the city's six public libraries.

But residents and community groups have hit out at the cutbacks at Blurton and have branded the decision "disappointing".

Derek Ecclestone, of Garside Avenue, Blurton, who is chairman of the Blurton Hub Management Committee, said: "My personal opinion on this is that we should have a library.

"I have been expecting a full library and it now seems that is not going to happen."

It is understood the community group was initially told by the authority it would supply a member of staff to deal with the library.

The group says the city council was also planning to rent a room inside the centre to house the facility.

A council report into the cutbacks at Blurton states: "The library has never opened, therefore there is no impact on the current provision.

"The service will still supply a collection of books with a partial exchange every six weeks.

"The issue and return of books to users will be managed by the volunteer group."

Fellow group member Dave Jones, of School Lane, Blurton, said: "The council should not be taking away a full library service from Blurton.

"A library is a valuable service which we need in this area.

"A service needs to be provided, and I feel it is up to the council to do that."

Christine Pratt, chairman of Blurton Farm Residents' Association, said: "This is very disappointing.

"We already have a lot to deal with as this is new to us, and running a library is now another thing to sort out.

"We were told we would have a member of staff for it."

The community centre was built earlier this year as part of a £7.1 million redevelopment of Ingestre Square.

Former city councillor Brian Ward, who lives in Blurton, said: "It's a shame there have been so many problems associated with the hub.

"There are promises that haven't been fulfilled and the library is one of them.

"There is an older population in Blurton and for them, a library is a much-needed resource."

Councillor Gwen Hassall, cabinet member for housing and neighbourhoods, said: "As part of the proposed redevelopment of our library services within our budget plans, a community book collection would mean the city council helping a volunteer service with a supply of books that would be exchanged every six weeks.

"It would also include the means to record issuing and collection of books, and in this particular case, bookcases.

"We are in the process of consulting about this proposal and it will form part of the budget decision next year."