Controversial plans for 10 Surrey libraries to be run by volunteers face fresh delays - one week after they were approved by councillors for a second time.

At a cabinet meeting of Surrey County Council (SCC) on July 24, councillors again voted for the "lesser used branches" - which include Ewell Court, Stoneleigh and Tattenhams - to be run by trained volunteers by April 2013.

But, members of SCC’s Communities Select Committee have demanded the decision be ‘called-in’ for further scrutiny - on the basis that the decision was irrational and unreasonable, and because of the public outrage which followed it.

Opposition councillors said there was no adequate justification for the decision, with Lib Dem and Residents’ Association councillors also arguing there had been no council scrutiny of the plans since they were ruled unlawful by the High Court in May, or since the council’s admission that they would not save money.

Mike Alsop, chairman of campaigning group Surrey Libraries Action Movement (SLAM), said: "The library plans remove paid staff but save no money, despite cost-saving being the justification of the plans all along.

"Local residents and potential library volunteers have been angered that they have been hoodwinked by the council.

"Library after library has come out and asked for changes to the policy so that they can make it work but they have all been ignored.

"It is right, therefore, that the library decision has been called-in."

The special meeting of the Communities Select Committee will take place on August 16 at 10am at County Hall, Kingston.

SCC’s leader Councillor David Hodge, volunteers, members of volunteer steering groups and a SLAM representative will be called as witnesses.

Under its constitution, SCC cannot not make any moves to implement the plans until the scrutiny process is complete.