A Community Hub where people can access Cambridgeshire County Council and Fenland District Council services was launched in Whittlesey yesterday.

The opening ceremony at the town’s library on Market Street was carried out by Fenland District Council leader Councillor John Clark and Councillor Ralph Butcher, representing Cambridgeshire County Council.

They were joined by other district and county council representatives, members of the library’s Friends group and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Modelled on the one that was established in Chatteris last year, the hub joins up the county council services provided at the library with the ones the district council has previously offered at its one-stop Fenland @ your service shop in High Causeway.

It offers all the same help and advice as the one-stop shop and is open for an extra three hours a week.

There is a self-service machine for accepting payments by debit card, cheque and cash for council bills, replacing the previous staffed cash office.

Roddons tenants are also able to make rent payments there. Staff are on hand to help customers familiarise themselves with the new machine.

Cllr Clark said: “With the squeeze on local government finances set to continue – and indeed becoming ever tighter – we are naturally looking at all the ways we can save money while continuing to provide good quality services.

“By bringing all these various services together in one place the hub also makes it easier for people to access them.

“And, as other similar hubs around the county have shown, it will also help to foster community spirit.”

Councillor Steve Count, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “This is a great example of public bodies working together for the benefit of the community we serve.

“We are glad to have been able to help make this happen and wish the partners well with the new community hub.”

The hub’s opening hours are: Monday: 9am-5pm, Tuesday: 9am-1pm, Wednesday: 9am-noon, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday: 9am-1pm.