CONTROVERSIAL plans to cut funding from more than 20 libraries across North Yorkshire have been ditched by council chiefs following a public outcry.

North Yorkshire County Council is to look again at proposals to withdraw financial support.

The U-turn could mean libraries which were previously set to be safe from the cuts seeing their funding slashed, after councillors said they were examining ways of making the process “fairer”.

After the proposals – aimed at slicing the council’s libraries budget by £2.3 million – were announced, hundreds of people joined rallies opposing the move. The authority said some libraries could be run by volunteers and mobile libraries would be cut.