FRIENDS of a library in East Dorset are facing the cold shoulder from County Hall library chiefs, according to a volunteer.

Derek Henderson, a member of the Friends of Colehill Library Group, is unhappy at plans by Dorset County Council to cut back on meetings with the committees of so-called "friends" groups.

The supporters increased their commitment to the Middlehill Road facility after accepting the council's offer to staff the building during "non-core" hours last year.

But plans are going before the council's cabinet to slash meetings between library staff and "friends" committees to one a year.

Mr Henderson says the regular meetings are vital.

"It is essential that the librarian should sit in on our committee meetings in the normal course of business," he said.

He compared the committee of the friends group to a parent-teacher association.

"Its unimaginable that an association could have a meeting of parents without the teachers," said Mr Henderson.

The ward councillor is being touted by library bosses as a "communication channel" between the council and the volunteers.

But according to Mr Henderson, that role is already fulfilled at Colehill.

"Janet Dover is an ex-officio member of our committee anyway. The chairman of the parish council, Keith Dover, is also on our committee."

Tracey Long, the Dorset Library Service manager, said the sudden increase in the number of friends groups had forced the council to search for a sustainable solution to communication issues.

She said reductions in the number of meetings would not take place until after the volunteer programme had been fully implemented.

A vote on the structure of future communications will go before the council's cabinet on February 4.

Other considerations, including the need for health and safety procedures, insurance, and criminal records checks, are also expected to be rubber stamped at the cabinet meeting.

"Any group has to have public liability insurance cover," said Mr Henderson.

Health and Safety considerations were "essential and unavoidable", he added.

Plans to make checks on volunteers with the Criminal Records Bureau were also needed, said Mr Henderson.

"CRB checks are essential for everybody who deals with the public, and most especially if they are dealing with young people or the elderly," he said.