A NEWTON Abbot councillor says she is ‘deeply concerned’ over a consultation that could see the number of library supervisors reduced across Devon.

Libraries Unlimited has confirmed that an internal staff consultation is under way, but the number of supervisors - who manage the libraries - potentially at risk has not been revealed.

The charity, which runs Devon’s libraries, told the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service that it could not elaborate further while the consultation was ongoing.

However, it did confirm that opening hours would be unaffected and that Devon County Council is not involved.

Councillor Jacqueline Fry (Newton Abbot North, Reform UK) is now calling for greater scrutiny of the proposals and meaningful consultation with staff, volunteers and library users before any decisions are made.

Her concerns come just months after Devon County Council conducted a county-wide consultation on Devon’s library service, during which residents highlighted the wider role libraries play in their communities.

‘Only a few months ago, residents across Devon made their views unmistakably clear’, Cllr Fry said.

‘They told us that libraries are not simply buildings containing books.

‘They are community hubs that provide learning, support, friendship, digital access and, for many residents, a vital lifeline against isolation.

‘That is why I am deeply concerned by proposals that could see library supervisor roles removed or significantly reduced’, Cllr Fry added.

The county councillor went acknowledged the financial pressures facing the organisation, but said any proposed changes should be supported by a clear and transparent explanation of the savings involved and their potential impact.

‘Residents have every right to ask what savings will be achieved, what impact these changes will have, and how local knowledge and community relationships will be maintained’, she said.

The latest consultation comes after Devon County Council decided not to pursue potential changes to the library service that could have included alterations to opening hours and grouping libraries together in hubs.

That decision followed the county-wide consultation, which gave residents an opportunity to comment on the future of their local libraries.

Cllr Fry said the views expressed during the public consultation should be taken into account before any restructuring of the service takes place.

‘The public spoke clearly during the county consultation. Councillors listened then, and I believe we have a responsibility to listen now’, she said.

She is calling for staff, volunteers, friends groups, town and parish councils, community organisations and library users to have an opportunity to contribute to the process.

Cllr Fry said the issue was not simply about staffing numbers, arguing that supervisors also helped coordinate volunteers, develop community partnerships and provide a familiar point of contact for library users.

‘Library supervisors are not simply members of staff’, she said.

‘They are custodians of local knowledge, coordinators of volunteers, builders of community partnerships and, for many residents, familiar faces they know and trust’, she added.

She is urging Libraries Unlimited to pause the process and carry out further consultation before any decisions are made.