Framlingham Town Council will be moving their office to the town’s library in the Old Court House in Bridge Street in early April.
The Town Council have been working with Suffolk Libraries on the plans, which will involve creating a new office and meeting space in the library to accommodate them. The move is due to take place over the Easter weekend.
The move will benefit both the library and the Town Council by saving costs for the council and providing income for the library service as the Town Council will be renting the space. It will also mean services for local people are provided in one location and will bring extra visitors to the library.
The space for the Town Council’s front office is being created out of a small existing part of the public library but there will not be any reduction in books or public computers. The library will remain open during the work to create the new office and will be carried out in a way which minimises any disruption to customers.
Lesley Clouting, Framlingham Library Manager, said: “This move benefits everyone as it has economic benefits for the library and town council and will make it easier for local people to access services in one place. We know from other projects across the county where libraries are now hosting council services, that this can work well and often leads to more people using the library service too. Framlingham Library already has a very strong relationship with the town council and we look forward to welcoming them into the library later this month.”
Eileen Coe, Town Clerk for the Town Council, said: “The Town Council has always supported the library service in Framlingham and we are looking forward to working together with them in this lovely historic building in the centre of the town.”