NEARLY a third of stops on a mobile library route are being scrapped in a council's bid to make savings.

East Sussex County Council is cutting out 37 stops from its service and combining a further 16 where stops are a mile or less apart.

The council has said the mobile office will be scrapped and instead tutors will visit areas as requested.

In total 90 locations will be visited but less frequently - with a fortnightly rota is being changed to a three weekly schedule.

By the end of the year ten of the stops will be combined but locations are still being decided for the remaining six.

The Cripps Corner stop near Robertsbridge will remain after concerns as to how residents could safely reach the nearest alternative a mile away were raised.

In addition, 21 stops to care homes and areas with sheltered housing will be replaced by the care home and home library services.

The free care home service offers bulk loans of books, CDs and DVDs, and the home delivery service allows frail people who are unable to travel to have books delivered by volunteers.

It is so far unknown when the majority of changes will be brought into force.

The council said the decision will reduce the service's annual £259,600 budget by £131,600 and claims residents will still have regular access to library services.

Councillor Chris Dowling, portfolio holder for community services, said the changes would have a minimal impact on residents.

He said: “These changes are the result of a comprehensive review of our mobile services and extensive public consultation “Making savings is not always about cutting services, but making them more efficient.

“In the case of the mobile library service, we have ensured that every resident that relies on the service still has access in one way or another.

“We will continue to visit 90 of the 127 stops we currently serve, while promoting our alternatives to care home and sheltered housing to ensure that library services are available to all those who rely on them.”

A West Sussex County Council spokeswoman said there were no plans to change its library services.