BOTLEY has a very good and highly-valued library, which local residents fought hard to save in the last round of library cuts in 2011.

Oxfordshire County Council felt it was not really necessary for Botley to have a library as we are so close to the Central Library in Oxford.

Now Doric Properties, the developers planning a new centre in Botley, are telling us to be very excited about their proposed new library because it is double the size of the current one.

Yes, I could be very excited about that. However, in light of the recent decision by Oxfordshire County Council to ask for donations from members of the public to try to make up some of the shortfall in their budget, how likely is it that they will fund a library of this size with more books, more furniture, more staff, more heating and lighting bills? As they say, we are very close to Oxford.

It would be a severe blow to the whole community and highly ironic to lose our vital library because of a development that is supposed to bring a great improvement to our local facilities.

DA PARKINSON Yarnells Hill Oxford