A COUNCIL has withdrawn its bid to run a village library.

Tiptree Parish Council took back its expression of interest in Tiptree Library which it submitted last year in order to save the service from a raft of planned closures. However, County Hall bosses later said none of the threatened libraries were now in danger of shutting.

The parish council has now ditched its proposal to run a volunteer-based library.

A spokesman said: “Tiptree parish councillors debated their ability to provide a community-run library, in light of the announcement by Essex County Council that the Tiptree Library was no longer threatened with closure.

“The announcement that the professional librarians would be in place for the near future, at the very least, made the decision for councillors.”

Tiptree Library received four Expressions of Interest last year.

There is now just one left.

A county council spokesman said: “Tiptree Parish Council voted last week to withdraw their interest in Tiptree Library.

“There is one other expression of interest in possibly transferring the library to community-run.

“Our strategy for Tiptree, as for all libraries, is to keep it open and encourage people who love it to get involved in using and supporting it.

“An expression of interest is not a proposal. If we receive a proposal for it to be community-run, local people will have the chance to see it, comment and get involved if they want to before any decisions are made.

“If we decide to accept the proposal we’ll provide funding, IT and professional support so it can transfer smoothly to community-run, continue to provide a quality library service and have the best chance of a successful future.”

“If not, we’ll carry on running it.”

A Love Your Library event takes place in Tiptree on Saturday, February 15.