At this evening’s Full Council Meeting, Torridge District Council voted in support of the campaign to Save Devon’s Mobile Libraries! A notice of motion was proposed by Cllr Chris Wheatley (Lib Dem, Shebbear and Langtree ward), and seconded by the Leader of the Council Ken James (Independent, Milton and Tamarside). A majority voted in favour with all five conservative councillors abstaining from the vote.

The notice of motion reads as follows:

This council recognises the huge importance of the mobile library service across the whole of the Torridge District. We request that Devon County Council rethink their decision to close the service across Devon and seek a way to replace the mobile library vans. We ask DCC to explore future opportunities of the mobile service which will enhance lives for our rural communities. 

There is a ground swell of public support to save our treasured mobile library service including celebrities and authors Stephen Fry, Michael Rosen, Michael Morpurgo, Dermot O’Leary, Nick Butterworth, Sarah McIntyre, Jacqueline Wilson, Belinda Bauer, Liz Shakespeare, Veronica Henry, Patrick Gale, Tanya Landman, Claire Barker and Harriet Knock. 

As well as being classified as “Rural-80” with more than 80% of our population living in rural settlements, Torridge is one of the most deprived districts in the country with the second lowest social mobility rate in England, and the third lowest workplace earnings in the UK. Books are the foundations of education. To help lift our communities out of poverty, deprivation, isolation, and loneliness we should be increasing access to books not removing them.

A letter will now be sent from Torridge to Devon County Council in support of the mobile libraries, asking them to rethink their decision to close them, seek a way to replace the vans and explore future opportunities for the service to enhance lives for our rural communities.

Please contact your District Councillors and ask them to do the same in your area of Devon!