News

Questions raised over library move savings

10 Sep 2026 4 minute read

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

Questions have been raised about the cost of moving a library out of its town centre location, with a councillor fearing promised savings may not be delivered.

Llandudno councillor Harry Saville has called for Conwy County Council to rethink controversial plans to move Llandudno’s library from Mostyn Street to Venue Cymru.

Cllr Saville claims there is a discrepancy between the £126,000 annual cost previously given for running the town-centre library and a figure contained in a confidential document recently sent to councillors by council staff.

He also claims the document indicates the council may not be able to deliver the previously promised saving of at least £100,000 a year from moving library services to Venue Cymru.

Conwy Council maintains “all relevant financial information” provided previously “remains accurate”.

Cllr Saville said: “When the decision to close Llandudno Library and move library services to Venue Cymru was made in July 2025, councillors and the public were told that the annual cost of the library being based in the town centre was £126,000 per year.

“We were also assured that moving library services to Venue Cymru would save at least £100,000 per year, which we were told was an important saving to safeguard library services across the whole county.

“Last week local councillors were sent a confidential document by staff from the council. Whilst I can’t comment on the details of the document, it quotes a figure for running the library in the town centre which is significantly different from the £126,000 shared with the press and the public. It is also clear that the savings of at least £100,000 per year cannot be delivered.”

Cllr Saville said he submitted an urgent question to this week’s Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny committee over what he described as the apparent financial discrepancy.

He claimed his request was rejected, and he was told the question would instead be dealt with at the Economy and Place committee on September 23.

Cllr Saville said: “I am very concerned about this apparent financial discrepancy, so submitted an urgent question on the financial cost of running Llandudno Library for this week’s Finance and Resources committee.

“My request was rejected, and I was informed that my urgent question would be dealt with at the Economy and Place committee on 23rd September.”

The council’s plans would see library services move from Mostyn Street to Venue Cymru in spring 2027, following a decision by the authority’s cabinet last year.

The plans have previously faced opposition from residents, with a 1,800-signature petition calling for the move to be stopped failing to change the council’s decision.

A previous public consultation found 764 of 1,001 respondents felt moving the library would make it harder to access, while 746 said they would use the library less if it moved. 633 respondents also said their spending on the high street would decrease.

Despite these findings, the council cabinet pressed ahead with the move last year. The library is due to move to Venue Cymru in the spring of 2027, after the UK Government committed £20m to upgrade the theatre.

The council previously said the funding “wasn’t reliant upon the library moving” but believed the business plan “was much stronger with the library included”.

The council has previously said the new library at Venue Cymru would deliver integrated cultural services and provide a fully accessible library, with longer opening hours and improved access for people with disabilities, limited mobility, or parents with prams.

The council says Venue Cymru also has an on-site car park with a bus stop nearby. Cllr Saville has continued to oppose the relocation, arguing it could damage Llandudno’s high street and accessibility.

He said: “There is next to zero public support for closing the library in Llandudno’s town centre. Conwy County Borough Council must rethink this incredibly unpopular and unnecessary decision.”

A Conwy County Council spokeswoman commented: “When the decision to relocate the Llandudno library was taken by Cabinet in July 2025, all relevant financial information was provided. This was recorded in the minutes and remains accurate.”

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