HASLEMERE town and borough councillors are among those calling for Surrey County Council to go back to the drawing board with plans for a new library for the town.

They complain of lack of partnership and consultation over the £1 million scheme which they see as short-sighted and uneconomic,

The plan is to move the library into the "poor quality and outdated" 1960s flat-roofed Wey Centre .

Two weeks ago, around 20 people attended a meeting to which 60 so-called stakeholders, including Waverley and town councillors, and school heads had been invited.

They heard Haslemere Surrey county councillor Christine Stevens, head of libraries Chris Norris, and youth workers defend the project to convert the centre into a combined library and youth centre, describing it as "realistic and pragmatic".

The building backs on to the railway line and is next to the pot-holed Fairground car park.

Last week The Herald took to the streets interview local people about the proposals and found they were generally in favour of the plans to provide an open-plan library and study area, with research space for young people, plus mezzanine floor for youth workers and young people.

But opposition is growing and many are concerned about the lack of consultation.

"If this is all the county council can think up, then it is time it was abolished," declared town councillor Ted Orchard

Referring to an outreach programme to encourage youngsters to use the centre, he said: "Outreach has not been been terribly successful in general terms.... I have talked to some of the young people who hang around and they wouldn't be seen dead in there," he claimed.

"Youth activities have been wound down by sheer bureaucracy." He believed the town should give young people somewhere "with bouncers on the door to check for drugs and weapons and control their excesses, but to give them more freedom".

In a letter to The Herald, Waverley councillor Jean Mansley, chairman of Haslewey, was critical of the plans unveiled last month.

"It was the first time many of us knew about the latest ideas from SCC for a combined library and youth resource centre."

She believed the library would not represent good value. "The new Haslewey community centre is costing less than £1 million to build and it is larger," she wrote.

"Surely it would be better to pull the Wey Centre down and start from scratch to provide a purpose-built library of which the town could be proud."

Robert Serman said The Haslemere Society was unhappy with the plans

"We feel that it is a pity that the libraries people haven't been more forthcoming and discussed proposals with us in the spirit of partnership.

"We should start again even if completion has to be phased over a period of time.

An SCC spokesman said that while there had been a "considerable gap" between the original consultation process and last month's meetings, SCC had been in regular contact with councillors while waiting for a date for Age Concern's move to Haslewey.

"While the construction of a new building may be preferable, it is not affordable. Refurbishment will include a new roof, windows, doors and interiors and will offer a much better environment for library users."

This week SCC was due to discuss the plans with the Waverley local committee, which includes Mrs Stevens.

In a recommendation by SCC officers, the local committee was asked to support the redevelopment of the Wey Centre for a library and youth centre.