DOZENS of headteachers, governors and politicians, concerned about literacy among young people, have demanded County Hall rethink pending cuts to Borehamwood Library's opening times.

Campaigners believe that when Hertfordshire County Council slashes hours at the Elstree Way library by almost 40 per cent on Monday, July 4, it will negatively affect young residents.

Louise Aldridge, of Cardinal Avenue, who has been steering the protests, says the changes will remove an evening of the Homework Club, affect a summer reading scheme and deny students access to important reference books.

The school librarian feels the town, historically considered a deprived area, has been hit too hard in the county-wide reductions.

Calling for them to be rescinded, she said: “I want councillors to appreciate you cannot make these cuts without there being an impact on literacy.”

The council says it is facing “extreme financial pressures” since central Government's comprehensive spending review in October 2010, but has worked hard to ensure, unlike other councils, that all 47 of Hertfordshire's libraries remain open.

Mrs Aldridge, who organised a "read-in" earlier this month, feels Borehamwood should be an exception to the reductions, a view supported by Hertsmere MP James Clappison who met with the campaigner on Friday, June 24.

Mr Clappison said: “I sympathise greatly with the people who are campaigning, especially on the issue of Friday opening times.”

Borehamwood Library will be closed on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, completely shut on Fridays, and open until 7pm on weekdays, instead of 8pm previously.

The MP added: “I appreciate the county council have a difficult financial situation, but if there is a way of looking at it, I would welcome it - especially in view of how many schoolchildren I saw using the library on Friday.

“I do understand the difficult problems the council face, but all round there is a strong case particularly for Borehamwood and I'm impressed it has so much support from local heads.”

The MP has written to Hertfordshire County Council asking them if there was a way to ameliorate the impact of the changes.

Local headteachers supporting the calls, include Rosie Alexander of Meryfield Primary School, in Theobald Street, who said: “I cannot believe that an area with such a high level of deprivation and  low levels of literacy can have such a valuable service cut in this way.

“It shows a complete lack of understanding of the needs of the community.”

While Lorraine Fairbank of Monksmead School, in Hillside Avenue, said: “Like all schools, we are committed to raising standards in literacy across the age groups and access to a wide range of reading material is central to introducing and maintaining the love of books that is essential for this to be ensured.

“My school is one of those which fared poorly in the budget, with a very low pupil premium amongst other reductions. As a result we had to make quite radical cuts to our provision and services have been axed to the minimum in order to set a workable budget.

“One of the services that we had to relinquish, was our subscription to the schools library service. It is therefore imperative that these services remain in the locality, so that all children are able to access libraries whenever they need to, and benefit from the availability of such a resource.

“I fully endorse the request for the number of hours to remain the same or at the very least for any reductions to be minimal.”

Other people adding their name to a statement that Mrs Aldridge will send to County Hall include Jan Palmer Sayer and Graham Taylor - headteacher and chair of governors at Hertswood School, Mark Holdsworth and John Doneo - headteacher and chair of governors at St Teresa's Primary School, Labour borough councillors Di Hoeksma, Ann Harrison, Ernie Butler and Richard Butler, and town councillor Kerri Prince.

Chris Hayward, Hertfordshire County Council's executive member for libraries, said: "While we are reducing opening hours to save money in the current challenging economic climate, it is important to stress that unlike many other local authorities we are not closing any libraries.

"We will continue to provide the full range of library services. Activities such as baby rhyme times, homework clubs, computer taster sessions and the popular summer reading challenge will be rearranged around the new opening hours, and 24-hour access to our online reference library will still be available to library members by visiting www.hertsdirect.org/libraries."