Surrey libraries: Bid to stop staff cuts defeated

An attempt to stop staff cuts at 10 Surrey libraries has been defeated at a council meeting.

Surrey County Council's proposals to have the libraries run by volunteers have proved controversial, with protests held against the cuts.

At Tuesday's full council meeting, a motion from the Residents Association Group to scrap the plans was defeated.

But the plans will still be discussed at a scrutiny meeting next week after being called-in.

The Communities Select Committee called in the plans prior to the meeting. They will now be reviewed by the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 October.

The Conservative-led council said the libraries that would be run by volunteers were Bagshot, Bramley, Byfleet, Ewell Court, Lingfield, New Haw, Stoneleigh, Tattenhams, Virginia Water, and Warlingham.

They will operate as a pilot in financial year 2012-13 so their success can be assessed.