Libraries set to close after campaigners’ legal action fails

Nicholas Thomas – Local democracy reporter

Ten libraries across a south Wales county borough are set to close after a failed legal challenge from campaigners.

A High Court judge ruled Caerphilly County Borough Council’s decision to put its library strategy into effect was “lawful” and it had given “rigorous attention to the effects” of the proposed changes.

Campaigners had resisted the council’s proposals to shut ten smaller libraries – in Aberbargoed, Abercarn, Abertridwr, Bedwas, Deri, Llanbradach, Machen, Nelson, Oakdale and Pengam – and develop the seven remaining branches as ‘hubs’, where book-borrowing would continue alongside other public services.

The council argues it can deliver a better service and save money by moving to the hub model, but community members potentially affected by the closures claim they would be losing valued local assets.

In June, Susanne Girdler – a member of the Save Abertridwr Library group – took the matter to a legal hearing in Cardiff.

Its purpose was to examine the lawfulness of the council’s decision-making, rather than for the court to decide how many libraries should be provided in Caerphilly County Borough.

In his judgement dismissing Ms Girdler’s claim, Mr Justice Kimblin noted the council had carried out two rounds of public consultation on its library plans, and had “detailed and precise” information about the effects of the policy on travel distances and times.

“Overall, the strategy would provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, though there would be an undeniable effect on active users of the ten libraries which were recommended for closure,” he wrote.

The Welsh Government requires local authorities to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service, but the judge found in this case ministers had “not intervened” or “expressed any negative view” of Caerphilly Council’s plans.

He added the council had considered “accurate and careful advice” on travel distances and times, and had carried out so-called integrated impact assessments in a “comprehensive, fair and balanced” manner.

Mr Justice Kimblin also acknowledged the council’s “real and pressing need” to make budget savings, and judged the local authority was “seeking to find a strategy which was both comprehensive in the context of current and contemporary needs while also deploying public funds in a way that obtained best value”.

“The concept of co-location of services, including library services, within principal settlements was self-evidently a means of providing both comprehensive access and efficiently,” he wrote.

“It was not the only means, but it was unarguably one reasonable solution to the range of issues which the council was seeking to address.”

On equality matters, the judge noted the claimant – Ms Girdler – had raised concerns about the council’s proposals on age, children and disability grounds.

He found the council carried out a “rigorous and objective analysis of travel distances and travel times”, and had “plainly appreciated how its changes to library services will affect different sectors of the population”.

“The proposals were assessed to bring about both positive and negative effects”, the judge said, adding the claimant’s arguments “dwell on the negative effects and have little regard to the benefits”.

He also said it was “plain that the strategy includes measures which are intended to assist those who are in either economic need, such as job-seeking, or social need in a number of ways, including hours of opening and co-location of services”.

Following the judgement, a Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesperson said the local authority will await the outcome of any appeal before “considering next steps”.

“Whilst no decisions can be implemented during this appeals window, the council will re-engage with the community organisations who had previously expressed an interest in taking over some of the sites for community use,” they said.

“We will also progress our discussions around creating additional childcare provision at a number of sites.”

Mariam Kamish, the secretary of Caerphilly Trades Union Council who is playing a key role in the campaign to save the at-risk libraries, said: “Thanks to our campaign, Caerphilly Council has been forced to keep all ten libraries open a year longer than they intended. The fight continues – our communities need these libraries.

She added: “Council elections are coming next May, and people are tired of not being listened to.”

Ms Kamish said she believed councillors should “demand the additional funding they need” from the Welsh Government “and set a no-cuts budget, or stand aside for genuine socialists who will”.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop, who leads the council’s Plaid Cymru group in opposition, said she was “angry” and “disgusted” by the outcome, and claimed closing libraries amounted to “taking away opportunities from some of the most deprived communities in Caerphilly”.

Cllr Bishop criticised spending cuts and said “if we genuinely want to tackle poverty, then we need to invest in the children growing up in those communities, not take more away from them”.

Lindsay Whittle, a Plaid Senedd Member who was formerly a county councillor, said he was “disappointed” with the ruling and urged the Labour-led local authority to reconsider the closures.

“The council has cut sports facilities, community centres and stopped free school buses for some pupils – people are bound to ask ‘what are we paying our council tax for?’” he said.

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