Cradley Heath, Blackheath, Brandhall, Bleakhouse, Rounds Green and Langley libraries will all have reduced opening hours under new cost cutting measures by Sandwell Council.

Under the plans, which will go before the cabinet this week, opening hours will be reduced in addition to recent cost-cutting measures which included merging services with other authorities, cutting staff down and introducing a self service system.

Cabinet member for leisure services Councillor Linda Horton said: "The council is facing significant reductions in its funding and in line with expected reductions Libraries and Archives face a 20 per cent loss of net expenditure budget over the next three years.

"We are having to explore ways we can continue to run the service in the face of such cuts.

“This includes proposals to reduce opening hours, targeted at the less well used libraries so as to minimise impact on customers.

“Even if the changes are introduced total opening hours will still be higher than five years ago.”

Conservative Old Warley Councillor Les Pawlowski attacked the plans.

He said: “I am disappointed as the reduction of hours will affect all communities particularly functions now organised by local people.

”For the sake of a few hours as against a lot of expenditure in other areas such as temporary staff the libraries and community will suffer.”

Cathy Corbett, Brandhall Library Friends chairman, added: “I’m upset to hear that Brandhall Library is having its hours cut as part of cost cutting measures, especially as the amount of visits and issues of books at Brandhall library has been increasing. Brandhall Library has been facing extreme hardship with lack of finance and staff cutbacks, but still despite this, the visits to the library have increased and so have the number of books issued.

“I do not want the hours at Brandhall Library cut, but cutting the hours in Sandwell Libraries a bit, sounds better to me than actually closing one of the libraries as that would be a great shame.

However Labour Councillor Jane Wilkinson, treasurer of Friends of Rowley Libraries, backed the council plans.

She said: "There are no plans to close libraries in Sandwell as the authority recognises its duty to provide a good quality library service to local communities.

“Due to reductions to all local governments budgets from the coalition central government and in the interests of maintaining this community frontline service it has been a wise move from the library service to review and restructure its opening times."

Under the new proposals Rounds Green Library will open for 2.5 hours less a week, Langley Library 2.5 hours, Brandhall Library 2.5 hours, Cradley Heath Library 2.5 hours, Blackheath Library 0.5 hours Bleakhouse Library 1.5, Oldbury Library’s opening hours will remain unchanged.