RAMSBOTTOM'S adult education centre could be closed and its students moved into the town's library.

Town hall bosses are considering making the switch to comply with new laws to make access easier for disabled people.

But they say the changes could be good for everyone, with better facilities and longer opening hours than at present.

The current premises at 2/4 Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, are inaccessible to students with mobility difficulties at street level, and people have to climb a narrow staircase to reach the first floor.

Officers say the classrooms are small, which means fewer students and less income than might be the case in a larger building.

They have looked at three options for the service, which is run at Bolton Street and in one of two mobile classrooms at Woodhey High School.

The first proposed moving into the second Woodhey mobile, but this was not deemed feasible because the school needs the room.

A second idea was to relocate to the New Kershaw Centre in Bury, but the travel might put off students.

The preferred option is to move into Ramsbottom library. Bosses say the building would have to be extended, but it would be more efficient and provide better quality services to students.

If approved, the Bolton Street site might be sold to help pay for the costs of moving.

Members of the council's executive will consider the detailed options and financial implications next month.

Councillors are also considering a similar shake-up in Prestwich.

They say the current adult education centre at Thorndyke Walk is inaccessible to many disabled people, and want to move courses into Prestwich library.

This would allow them to sell off Thorndyke to the Prestwich-based Manchester Jewish Grammar School, which needs more space under its proposals to become a voluntary aided school.