This petition calls on Devon County Council to keep the mobile library service running in Devon, especially here in Torridge where we have many very rural and isolated areas which really benefit from its service.

The County Council currently has four library vehicles, adapted for people with mobility or hearing problems, that visit 374 locations across Devon every month. The Torrington mobile library on its own serves a vast area from the North of the County from Welcombe across to Morthoe, all the way down to Bridgerule, St Giles-on-the-Heath, over to Hatherleigh and North Tawton and a huge number of villages and rural areas in between.

We believe that the County Council are using flawed statistics to try and justify the closure of the mobile libraries and are not taking into proper account the social impact of ending the service.

The statistics used by the council compare 2022 figures with 2012 when there were eight library vehicles, providing a much fuller service. The reduction to four vans in 2013-14 would have cut the number of users. Users of the service in 2022 numbered more than 3,000, but this would have also still been negatively impacted by the covid pandemic. In addition, the library vehicles were off the road for 670 hours last year, largely because of ‘vehicle issues and maintenance’, making it impossible to provide a reliable service. This would also have reduced user numbers.

We also believe that there has not been sufficient promotion of the service in recent years and a good marketing campaign and reliable service would significantly boost numbers.

We understand that Devon County Council has also not looked at other options to keep the service running at a lower cost to the council, such as leasing library vans instead of buying new ones, or seeking grants and sponsorship to fund the service.

The mobile libraries are a lifeline to many people in our rural communities. Many people living in Devon are not within walking distance and have non-existent or very limited public transport links to a library. The mobile service allows many people in isolated areas the ability and independence to use the library service on their own, and meet with others in their communities. Older people and those with mobility problems rely on these services and they are also the people who are least likely to have access to the internet to buy or download books. As well as supporting the elderly and the vulnerable in our communities, they are also a fantastic way to enthuse our youngest members of the community to get into reading, and the toddlers and young children in the villages love visiting the mobile library to pick their new books and take part in reading challenges!

We believe that cutting this service is short-sighted. The council claim they are trying to support the most vulnerable in our society and reduce isolation and yet in cutting this service they are destroying any good work they are seeking to achieve. From having a £40million overspend, the council tell us they have now managed to balance their budget, so why are they continuing to cut our essential services such as these?

Torridge District Council voted unanimously to write to Devon County Council expressing concern over the potential loss of the mobile library service and asking for more detail on what would replace it, but are yet to hear back.

Please sign and share this petition to help save our mobile libraries before the final decision is made by county councillors in the next few weeks.

Petition set up by Cllrs Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin and Chris Wheatley, Torridge District Council, Shebbear and Langtree Ward