PLANS for a new library in Twyford are moving forward as the council aims to continue regenerating the borough.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) leader John Halsall is spearheading work to refurbish the Polehampton community facility in order to convert it into a library.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The original scheme envisaged a community hub which all sorts of community bodies would sit in.

“Over the years all these bodies fell away, so the scheme that I’m promoting is to refurbish Polehampton building and use it to have a library.

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“Our commitment as an administration is not only to regenerate Wokingham but to regenerate our communities as well.

“We are already spending a huge amount of money regenerating Woodley and Bulmershe Leisure Centre.

“It is a part of that scheme of work to regenerate the towns and villages in the near future.

“The project for the library goes back a long, long way and I have had an interest in the project for many years trying to get it moving.”

Before he became leader, Cllr Halsall announced his ambition to move forward with the library plans when he took on the role of executive member for environment, leisure and libraries at the end of 2018.

In February, the Liberal Democrats submitted an alternative budget to WBC which featured a £400,000 pledge towards work on the library in year one.

Lib Dem Cllr Stephen Conway, ward member for Twyford, told the LDRS he welcomed the developments.

He said: “I have been campaigning for a new library in Twyford for many years.

“I welcome the idea the council itself should run the library.

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“I think it will be an excellent use of the old school building and I will do all I can to make it happen.

“We have been committed to this project for a long time and if we get back in power we will deliver it anyway.

“The sooner this happens the better.

“This is an example of where, finally, the two parties are working together.”

Cllr Halsall said the council was “scoping” to see how best to deliver the project, but no time scales or costs have been attached to the scheme yet.

WBC approved a planning application to restore Twyford Boys School and convert it into a library and police office in October 2016, but this is due to expire as developers were given three years to start work at the site.