Fears it could be scrapped altogether were raised when Brooskby Melton College announced it wanted to relocate to King Edward VII school's Burton Road campus.

But education chiefs dismissed the claimsm, saying it should remain in the town centre and that it could move in with Melton Council.

Peter Roffey, county councillor for Melton south and a governor at the college, said: "The Library is a tenant of the College not part of it, so there is no question of it following the College to Burton Road campus.

"Historically the County Council view has been that if the library moves it should be into the town centre not away from it. The presumption has been that for the convenience of the majority of users the library needs to be located as close to the town centre as possible. I suspect public opinion would support that view."

Mr Roffey identified three sites for the library; stay put or move with Melton Council to either the station site or Nottingham Road but the last one remains unlikely.

A fourth option to create a one-stop hub in the King Street annex of the college with education, health and social welfare facilities altogether was mothballed several years ago, but it could be back on the cards.

Malise Graham, leader of Melton Council, said it was too early to make firm plans but supported sharing a site with the library.
He added: "We've not made a final decision on where our offices will be located but it is either Nottingham Road or the next to the railway station. I am very keen to work with the county council. People don't really care who provides their services but it matters from a budget point of view to us. The county council is very rich and we are very poor, I am all for working together and everyone making savings."

It is hoped a decision on the location will be made by Easter.