CAMPAIGNERS held a protest outside a Wiltshire Council meeting on Tuesday (Apr 5) after a consultation began to make 16 library, heritage and arts staff redundant.

The move could see 11 library positions lost as well as five posts go in the heritage and arts sector in various locations around Wiltshire.

Councillor for libraries Jonathon Seed told the Calne Area Board meeting in the Town Hall none of the cuts would affect frontline members of staff but there would be a managerial restructuring of certain services.

A petition calling for no cuts to be made to Calne Library was handed in at the meeting, in response to reports the library would become the first in Wiltshire to trial a £200,000 refurbishment allowing it to operate with no staff on duty.

Coun Seed said: “I have read the petition and I have to say that it does not bare any resemblance to what the plans are in the library.

“It is a first for me in politics that I have seen a protest about spending £200,000 of new investment.

“We are going to extend the opening hours and plan to offer more community space in the library.

“I found it very sad to see a small child outside holding a banner to save the library. There are no plans to cut any librarians."

The Wiltshire Gazette & Herald has learned that last Friday a meeting was held with staff involved, who were told that the consultation would run for 45 days before a decision was made.

The petition was started by Melissa Loveday, 37, of Anchor Road, on March 29 and has amassed 493 signatures.

After the meeting chairman of Calne Labour Party John Boaler said: “I have been told that in Calne Library we will lose our community librarian and that there are a planned 16 cuts across Wiltshire.

“I felt that Mr Seed blustered about the issue. He was not at all clear and there has been an issue about communication around the whole matter.

“He says that there is only going to be management that will lose their jobs but I go to the library and I am going to meet her (the community librarian) as much as anyone there.

“She runs the Noisy Friday sessions and is the main person doing it. It is not true to say that she is behind the scenes.”