Devon County Council is set to decide on a £1 million investment into the county’s library service, including facilities in Torquay, at a meeting on 20 May 2026. This potential funding boost follows a three-month public consultation that gathered over 25,000 responses from residents, including feedback from 2,246 young people.
The council is currently weighing three options for future staffed opening hours: reducing total hours by 30 per cent, a 10 per cent reduction, or maintaining the current service levels. This debate follows a significant policy shift earlier this year, when the council reversed a proposed £650,000 saving for the library service following public pressure.
Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, has recommended protecting current opening hours while simultaneously investing in a transformation programme. The aim of this investment is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the service, which is operated by the charity Libraries Unlimited. Plans for the service include expanding the use of Open Plus technology—which allows for extended library access—and increasing opportunities for community involvement, with more than 6,000 consultation respondents expressing a willingness to volunteer in their local branches.
The proposal has faced scrutiny from within the council. The Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee has called for the decision to be deferred, with Vice Chair Councillor Simon Rake describing the current report as thin gruel due to ongoing analysis. Independent councillor Jess Bailey has also noted that proceeding with a decision without more comprehensive information would be unacceptable.
The service is also benefiting from a separate £200,000 grant from the UK Government, awarded through the Libraries Improvement Fund to upgrade technology across the county. This follows a successful pilot of the system in Cullompton.
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