THE Devon branch of UNISON has warned Devon County Council not to let the consultation responses it received on its proposals for the future of the library service to fall on deaf ears. The union's warning comes after the council released figures last week on the number of people who took part in the consultation. The consultation received more responses than any other relating to libraries, with 5,500 returned questionnaires, 2,500 attendees at library drop in sessions and 1,000 people at public meetings as well as e-mails, letters and petitions. Under the proposals, Okehampton and Tavistock's libraries would become 'Devon Centres', which would include identifying other services which could share the library space, and where appropriate, staff. Chagford and Moretonhampstead libraries are among 28 smaller rural libraries threatened with closure. Andy Bowman, branch chair at UNISON Devon County Branch, said: 'Whilst it's great that thousands of people have responded, it doesn't take a genius to work out that the response rate was so high because the people of Devon are seriously concerned about the council's proposals and they don't want to see services cut and libraries closed.  'Consultation should be meaningful but the council's ruling Conservative administration hasn't got an exemplary record when it comes to genuinely listening to the views of others. 'It banned key council officers, trade unions, families and carers from giving evidence at its scrutiny meeting back in June on the decision to close residential care homes and day care centres.  We don't want to see the same level of disregard dished out to library campaigners. 'The council says it is being open-minded.  'We hope this is the case and that people's concerns don't fall on deaf ears.  It would be a travesty if the consultation was just an elaborate tick box exercise and decisions had already been made behind closed doors.' The council has stressed it will take the responses seriously and use them to shape the consultation. Cllr Roger Croad, the council's cabinet member with responsibility for the library service, said: 'We have never underestimated the strength of feeling and passion that residents feel for their library service. 'It's a passion that we understand and share whole-heartedly.  'If it were anything but, we would have been failing to deliver a service that people felt meets their community's needs. 'We have had a mountain of responses to the consultation, and from the meetings and discussions that I have attended, I am encouraged by the overwhelming level of support that groups and individuals are ready to give their local library. 'It isn't easy and we've a lot of work to do over the coming months and then onwards.  Every library and every community is different, and will require different solutions to suit them. 'We've had a lot of very constructive ideas come forward from groups, and I'm pleased by the coverage of responses, spanning all our libraries. 'A full report will go before our cabinet committee in October, outlining the consultation results and making recommendations about what the future library service will look like.  'Until then, we're looking with an open mind at the results and continuing our conversations with local groups.'