Council puts library closures plan on hold after campaigners bring legal challenge

The council said its new Library Service strategy would have seen the ten sites replaced by seven enhanced community hubs in strategic town centre locations, as well as Community Outreach services within the affected communities.

Caerphilly confirmed that a judicial review application had now been submitted to challenge its decision.

Cllr Carol Andrews, Caerphilly’s Cabinet Member for Education said: “We have decided to pause our plans to create a resilient and sustainable Library Service, in light of this legal challenge. This does not change our intention to implement our new vision for the Library Service, but we must allow the appropriate legal process to progress.”

The Leader of Caerphilly Council, Cllr Sean Morgan said: “It is disappointing, but not surprising that we have received this challenge. We will obviously robustly defend the judicial review and we are now seeking clarity from the courts about the next steps.”

“The real shame here is that the council has been in discussion with a number of community groups, who had come forward to take ownership of the library sites that were due to close - and their plans looked really exciting.”

Cllr Morgan also claimed that the library review would have helped the local authority achieve significant financial savings.

“We will obviously need to identify cuts in other services if our plans cannot proceed,” he added.

Cllr Lindsay Whittle, who leads the council's Plaid Cymru group, told the BBC: "The public have been telling the council in no uncertain terms that they are very unhappy with the closures of their local libraries. But it is shocking that despite the views of the public, the Labour administration seems determined to plough on.

"I hope the courts, when they consider the legal challenge, will accept the vital importance of local libraries to the public."

Craig Court of Harding Evans Solicitors in Newport, who is acting for the claimant, said: “I have been impressed with the dogged determination shown by the campaign to date, fighting to save such important community assets. We have now issued the judicial review at court on behalf of our client and will await the court’s consideration in due course.”

Harry Rodd