Town Council withdraws library bid

Welshpool Town Council has decided that it won’t burden the town’s residents with more council tax, so has ruled out the option of taking on the library service.

The Town Council has been a staunch supporter of the protesters who are up-in-arms that Powys County Council (PCC) wants to vacate the library so that its staff can transfer there from the Neuadd Maldwyn offices, which will be converted into a care facility. PCC is pressing on with its plan to downgrade the service and squeeze it in with the Powysland Museum.

But after a meeting between the local council and the regional authority last night, the former conceded defeat to its option of taking on the service, while still insisting “The Town Council does not wish to see the library move from its current location”.

“There were a number of options which involved the Town Council and these have been evaluated and considered at length,” said Robert Robinson, Town Clerk.

“The main issue for the Town Council is the cost that alternative solutions would see a fairly large rise the town’s Council Tax, which in essence would be double taxation. 

“The Town Council, whilst still not happy with the library moving from its current location, does have to consider the cost to the Welshpool Council Tax payer bearing in mind the outcry regarding the 2019 increases and ability to pay.

“The county (PCC) has confirmed that they are committed to providing both the Library and Museum Services in Welshpool in the combined location of the Powysland Museum location.

“The Town Council has decided not to intervene and to take note of the taxpayer’s views and not increase the Council Tax any more than is absolutely necessary.”

Mr Robinson told us that the alternatives considered were “not able to create a substantially bigger library than is proposed at the Powysland Museum so the benefit of the alternatives is limited”.

It is believed that the alternative included extending the Tourist Information Centre to house the service.

However, the protesters won't give up and will continue their fight to stop the move going ahead. They have strong support from the town with a petition signed by more than 4,000 people and a recent march attracting up to 500 people.