Rotherham became the only place in the UK to sign up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in December last year.

It was launched in a blaze of publicity by the music star herself at a glittering reception at Magna attended by councillors and VIPs.

More than 4,000 local families are said to be taking part in the scheme, which provides a selected new book each month for children under five.

But figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that so far financial support for the scheme amounts to a paltry £1,162.50 - with £1,000 of that coming from one school. A fundraising event realised £112.50 and there has been one £50 personal donation.

And so far just one Rotherham Council worker has joined a payroll deduction scheme which encourages Town Hall staff to make regular contributions to the project.

The Imagination Library is being supported in its first year by the Chamber of Commerce, but the council has admitted that after that it could cost ratepayers at least £300,000 a year.

It had hoped public donations - such as the one from Broom Valley Infants - would help take some of the financial burden off the council.

One critic of the scheme, Don Buxton, said: "I am concerned that the public are not showing much support and neither are the council's own staff. It concerns me as a council tax payer who is going to stump up the cost.

"It appears this was a wonderful idea which brought a big feast and superstar to our town, but the world is full of wonderful ideas and this doesn't seem to have caught on."

Council leader and country music fan Roger Stone persuaded the star to come to Rotherham to launch the library scheme and he described it as a major coup.




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