Last chapter for Devon's mobile libraries

Devon’s mobile libraries have been axed as budgetary pressures outweigh community efforts to save the service.

Rural communities had been particularly vocal in their bid to urge Devon County Council to maintain the service, outlining its importance to vulnerable people in isolated communities.

A petition to save the four mobile libraries had secured more than 9,000 signatures, including those of famous local authors Michael Morpurgo and Michael Rosen.

But Councillor Roger Croad, cabinet member for public health, communities and equality, said he had decided to make the “very sad decision” to recommend the closure of the service based on the decline in usage and its ongoing cost to the authority.

A report put before the meeting said the council spent £217,000 a year on mobile library running costs.

To appease campaigners, it announced a £25,000 transition fund to help vulnerable mobile library users, and an additional £15,000 for community groups and parish councils to apply for small grants to facilitate local community library development.

It was also agreed not to decommission the libraries until February next year.

Questions were asked about what would happen to the predicted £18,000 the council could get from the sale of the libraries, but people were told that issue would have to be dealt with by the relevant finance committee.

“We just cannot afford the mobile service any more,” Cllr Croad said.