LIBRARIES across the Borough are safe for now according to council bosses.

A public consultation will be launched by the end of the year pledging to keep as much of the current service open as possible as part of The Deal.

However proposals include the libraries being run by community groups.

Lesley O’Halloran, assistant director for customer services at Wigan Council said: “Unlike many other councils across the UK, we have managed to keep all of our libraries open by taking a different approach through The Deal.

“When we look at the number of residents that use our libraries, it is clear that they play a huge part in the community.

“To make the required savings we need to do things differently and come up with an innovative way to keep the provision.

“Wigan Council has already saved £100m across the borough through The Deal while retaining and even improving library services with more community groups and individuals helping to run services traditionally run by the council.

“We have proposed plans that have now been discussed by the Confident Council Scrutiny Committee and will be considered by the ruling cabinet.

“Those initial proposals will go out to public consultation by the end of the year.”