Council drops plan to reduce library hours

No cuts will be made to Devon library services following an "extensive" public consultation attracting more than 25,000 participants.

Devon County Council proposed to reduce staffed opening hours across 50 libraries in Devon by about 30% in May.

However, at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the council said it would instead invest £1 million into the libraries.

The council said at the meeting 6,000 people said they would be interested in volunteering at their local libraries.

Solomon Elliot, organiser of Save Devon's Libraries campaign, said it was good news after a "difficult campaign" trying to save their libraries.

He said: "We've spent months and months holding Devon County Council to account for what was a essentially a botch consultation.

"They framed it as having your say but within the consultation, they had already proposed serve cuts to library services across the county.

"It's good news, but it's been a bit of a slog."

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, cabinet member for rural affairs, said 25,000 people took part in the "extensive consultation".

She said: "We had 25,000 people tell us how important their libraries are to them and we've listened. It's been a really good day."

The council said it would develop a recruitment and support programme for library volunteers to enable "extended access" and to support staff hours which would be funded by existing library budgets.

The council added a further £100,000 would be invested in the county's book fund and from 1 October, fines for overdue would be abolished.

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