Libraries in Essex will not close this year after Essex County Council (ECC) promised to keep them all open.

The guarantee was made after ECC reduced opening hours for the facilities last year.

Five managers lost their jobs, and Colchester Library reduced its opening hours from 67.5 hours to 59 hours per week.

Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Smith-Hughes said he was still not sure if their would be further reduction on opening hours.

He said: “The council did consult with people when they started reduing hours, but I still want to look at the while thing.

“The thing is once you close the library it never re-opens and people are looking to use the libraries more and more for services.”