Llanfyllin's library could be facing an uncertain future once again - just nine months after a deal was signed to secure services for the next five years.

A letter from Powys County Council portfolio holder for Young People and Culture Rachel Powell said the county council was organising a drop in session to discuss the future of the service on February 5.

The news comes just months after a groundbreaking deal to share the cost of services at Llanfyllin's library with a new Community Interest Company(CIC), made up of a cluster of 12 town and parish councils in North Powys, was signed to apparently secure the future of the service for the next five years.

Under the deal, which is believed to be unique in Wales, each of the councils involved pays a percentage of the cost of the library, with a further contribution of 50%, thought to be around £17,000, paid by the county council.

But now the County Council says 'new ways of sustaining the service' must be found, with Cllr Powell stating that Powys County Council was facing "unprecedented financial pressure" on it's services.

"Following another reduction in our budget settlement from Welsh Government, we are in the unenviable position of needing to find savings of £14m during the next year (2019/20) and a further £20m for the following three years up until 2023.

"We are thus seeking your help to identify ways to sustain such services locally.

"Powys County Council is very grateful to you for your support with maintaining the library over recent times. However we are now in a position where we have to ask you once again to work with us to find new ways of sustaining the service locally."

In February last year, officials from the Welsh Government visited Llanfyllin to learn more about the groundbreaking arrangement signed with the CIC, which is seen as a potential way forward for safeguarding library services across the country.

Mayor of Llanfyllin, Cllr Simon Baynes said any decision which threatened the existing agreement with the CIC was "very short sighted".

"It's taken a lot of work by a lot of people who are not paid to do it to agree with deal with the CIC.

"The work required to secure this arrangement was huge, and to go back on such a highly innovative deal now would be very short sighted indeed.

"We are determined through the town council that we can keep the library open."

A statement from Llanfyllin Town Council said: "Please come to the Drop-in Session in Llanfyllin Library at which Powys County Council will be discussing ways to ensure the long-term future of the library.

"Please rest assured that Llanfyllin Town Council is fully committed to keeping the library open for the long-term benefit of our town and surrounding community. "

The drop in session is set to be held at Llanfyllin Library on Tuesday, February 5 from 1pm to 3pm.