Children urge council to rethink library cuts

Nicholas Thomas, Local democracy reporter

Children have urged a Welsh council to rethink its library closure plans, telling decision-makers their local site “means everything to us”.

Up to ten libraries could shut down at the end of August, in what Caerphilly County Borough Council calls a “bold new vision” to shrink the service and set up new “hubs”.

It argues it can deliver a wider range of services within these hubs, based on the success of the model in Rhymney.

But during a recent consultation, 99% of young people who responded said the proposals would have a negative impact on them.

Among adults, 88% of respondents also considered the move to be negative.

Libraries in Aberbargoed, Abercarn, Abertridwr, Bedwas, Deri, Llanbradach, Machen, Nelson, Oakdale and Pengam are all at risk.

Consultation

More than 1,000 people took part in the recent consultation on the proposals, either in person or via a form – including 287 who completed a young person survey.

They included two seven-year-olds, who told the council Abercarn Library “means everything to us” and said “loads of people love going there”.

“Our favourite things about the library are all the wonderful books and the fun activities our friend Alex the librarian does for us,” they said, adding: “Please, please don’t close Abercarn Library.”

A young user of Bedwas Library said it “holds a special place in my heart” and “has been a part of my life since I was a baby”.

“The library has created and developed my love for reading and I borrow new books weekly,” she added. “It has also been a place where I’ve been able to meet up with friends and make new ones.”

Posters

Other children drew posters, with messages from Bedwas including “save our library” and “don’t let this happen”, and from Oakdale saying the local library provides “much more than books”.

Among adults, there were similar pleas from people praising the importance of their local library.

One said losing Bedwas Library “would have a detrimental effect on both mine and my family’s wellbeing”, and said the smaller, more personal atmosphere at the library had helped her and her son.

Another said failure to keep Bedwas Library open would be “detrimental to the community”, and criticised “unfair and disgraceful” service cuts.

Plaid Cymru Senedd Members Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths urged the council to “rethink” the proposed consolidation, and consider the particular impact on “older people and those who are lonely”.

They said residents had written to them to express “anger and sadness about the proposed closures”.

Rhianon Passmore, the Labour MS for Islwyn, urged the council to “pause and reflect” on the proposals and seek Welsh Government support.

“It is essential that we empower communities, particularly those individuals who depend on and utilise public libraries the most – those without IT, those who are elderly and those who are young and who need a place to work, learn and read,” added Ms Passmore.

Final decision

Backbench councillors will give their views on the proposals at a meeting on Monday May 12, and senior councillors will make a final decision two days later.

If approved, the council will cut its library service to what it called a “modern and sustainable service” which “better meets the changing needs of our communities”.

Five main hubs would be located at libraries in Bargoed, Blackwood, Caerphilly, Rhymney and Risca, while Newbridge and Ystrad Mynach would operate as minor hubs.

The council would also start a new community outreach service “to mitigate the potential loss of smaller village libraries”.

Cllr Carol Andrews, the cabinet member for education said: “We very much value our library service, but the unprecedented financial pressures facing us means that we must act now to secure a sustainable library model which is fit for the future.”