Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood quoted a Welsh rock band whilst making calls for all local authorities to do all they can to keep their libraries open in the face of budget pressures.
The AM for South Wales Central, which covers Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff, drew upon the lyrics of the Manic Street Preachers single Design For Life during questions to Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones in the Senedd this month.
The issue was brought up after RCT council recently announced plans to close the library in the heart of the Taffs Well community and relocate its services at Coleg Morgannwg’s Nantgarw Campus.
The local community has been angered by the move which would see the library service become inaccessible to some of the most vulnerable residents in the community due to its distance from the village.
Ms Wood said: “Efforts have been made by the Welsh Assembly Government to invest in our public libraries. I know that the library in Pontyclun was boosted by a grant of £100,000 to modernise facilities.
“However, I am concerned that this good work could be undermined in the cuts climate, because local authorities could see libraries as a first resort for cuts.
“The library in Taff’s Well, in my region, has been earmarked for closure by the Labour-run Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, much to the dismay of local people.
“Manic Street Preachers said that libraries gave us power, and they are right. Libraries must continue to give people in Wales power.
“Can you reiterate the Assembly Government’s commitment to public libraries, and will you be prepared to make representations to local authorities throughout Wales so that they can do all that they can to protect these very important community facilities at this very difficult financial time?”
The Minister replied: “My officials in CyMAL—Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales are closely monitoring the situation regarding proposed closures and how they may affect a local authority’s ability to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service and how they measure up within the Welsh public libraries standards framework.”
Ioan Bellin, Plaid Cymru’s candidate for the Pontypridd constituency, said: “It is disappointing that Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet has decided to shut the public library in Taff’s Well next year.
“The library is a meeting point for the community. Any community needs places such as a café, pub, post office, or library for people to meet up.
“Unfortunately the people who will lose out if the library in Taff’s Well closes will be the elderly. Also people who rely on public transport will find it harder to access library services in the future.
“The Labour Cabinet in the local council seems to forget that Taff’s Well needs investment and services as other areas do.”
