AS the proposals to radically alter the future of libraries in the Vale now enters the public consultation phase, a campaign group in Rhoose has stepped up to fight to save their library.

Rhoose library is one of the libraries that it is proposed will be run by a staff of volunteers with reduced opening hours, as part of the Vale Council's bid to make overall savings of £32million.

The Rhoose campaign group, having now seen the consultation document issued by the Vale Council, say that there are still unanswered questions.

Chris Economides, chairman of the Save Rhoose Library Campaign, said: “The rationale given by the council simply doesn’t make sense to anyone in Rhoose.

“Rhoose was only added to the list of libraries to be downgraded at the last minute. We’ve yet to have any clear explanation of who made that decision and on what basis.

“The argument used was that Rhoose would otherwise be the only village in the Vale to remain as a professionally run branch.

"Frankly that’s a ludicrous basis on which to make a decision affecting thousands of elderly people and schoolchildren who use the library regularly. It’s time the council provided some real explanations to justify their proposals.”

A report that went before the Vale Council Cabinet in August explained that although Rhoose library was not originally selected to be a community delivered library "due primarily to its distance from the libraries at Barry and Llantwit Major" but that "on reflection and in view of the increased pressure to identify further savings" the council had decided to include it in the proposals.

"The distance from Rhoose to the other towns hasn’t changed," Chris said. "And the amount of savings the council will realise by replacing trained librarians with volunteers isn’t going to make that much difference to their funding gap."

The group also believe that a larger amount of people exclusively use Rhoose library than has been represented in council reports.

"All the report said about Rhoose was that 40 per cent of respondents visited other libraries in the Vale," said Chris. "This presumably was a figure chosen to show that if the library was downgraded and hours cut, that it wouldn’t affect people that much.

"What we have learned via a Freedom of Information request is that a much higher number of people - almost 54 per cent - said that Rhoose is the only branch they use."

Among the other questions that the group say remain unanswered are why the library consultation document still includes references to library closures when promises have been made that no closures will occur and how exactly do the council intend on training volunteers to carry out a service currently provided by trained professionals.

These questions were put to the Vale Council and Deputy Leader Stuart Egan responded: “A community library can take many forms and there are a number of successful models in operation across the UK.

"We want to develop models that work for each community rather than implement a one size fits all solution. This is why if community libraries are established we will work with volunteers to develop a way of working that suits them and meets their community’s needs.

“The Vale Council will ensure that volunteers receive any training required for their roles. We will support community groups with professional advice to help them develop their service and our experienced staff will provide information, assistance and guidance. The Council will also provide book stocks.”

Further details on this and other proposed changes are available online at www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/librarystrategy.

The consultation runs until December 31.