Camborne Town Council has moved its offices to the landmark Passmore Edwards Library building following an extensive refurbishment.

The move follows extensive refurbishment and repairs to the Grade II listed building which is an iconic landmark for the town. The library was transferred to the Town Council’s ownership last September as part of Cornwall Council’s devolution programme.

This library service will be managed and run by Camborne Town Council. The library, currently temporarily located at the Cornwall Council office in Dolcoath Avenue, will return to the Passmore Edwards building in late summer 2018.

This project has received widespread support from local residents, during an extensive survey carried out by the Town Council in 2015 almost 87% of respondents supported the Town Council taking control of the Passmore Edwards building to keep the library service at its current location and 61% supported the building being maintained for public use.

David Wilkins, Mayor of Camborne, says “The building is looking absolutely wonderful and will be a much better place for everyone to come and make use of library services. The Council’s new chamber is fantastic and we welcome people to come to our meetings there. I’m looking forward to the library returning to its historic home later this summer; we can all be proud to have saved this building and kept the service in the town.”

The library will continue to be a hub for the local community offering all the key services essential to a modern library including computers, free WiFi, scanning, and photocopying services plus national and local newspapers.

Councillor Hannaford, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, said: “As a council we are working closely with local communities to protect local services from closure. This library’s devolution allows the local council to become custodians of this community asset. It’s a much-loved facility and local people and visitors alike will be able to continue to use it for many years to come.”

Councillor for Camborne Trelowarren, Jeff Collins says; “I’m delighted that Camborne Library will be managed by the Town Council and feel that this will make a real and positive difference to local people. We intend to maintain the library to the highest possible standard so locals of every age can enjoy it now and in the future.”

James Chapman who lives in Camborne says: “This library is a lifeline for so many people in the local area, to parents trying to encourage their children to read or teenagers or older residents who’re interested in using the library’s computers. It’s also great to see the library’s been refurbished and that with this transfer to local community control that its future is protected for future generations.”