I write as a long-serving Loughton councillor (Loughton Broadway Ward 1982-1998 , Loughton Roding Ward 1998-present) to express my strong concern over this proposal.

1. Essex County Council should continue to provide a comprehensive library service to all parts of our local community and not simply transfer it to a third party.

2. As a former Loughton Broadway councillor and Debden Community Association executive member I have clear memories of how the college authorities took over Loughton Hall and a sports centre which had been financed via public subscription. The end result was the Debden Community Association lost its home and the sports centre was demolished and the site was developed.

3. If this proposal goes ahead it will further confirm the location of Debden Library on what many residents, including myself, consider to be the wrong side of the extremely busy Rectory Lane.

4. When the library, on a temporary basis, was on the Broadway shopping parade its use by the community increased.

5. Rightly or wrongly, a fair number of residents will not use a library which is located inside a college.

The county council should continue to directly provide this library provision for the Debden part of Loughton and start actively looking for a site in and around Broadway shopping parade.

Stephen Murray,

Loughton Roding Ward,

Independent District and Town Councillor