Well done to Cllr Louise Emery, for raising concerns about the financial figures being incorrect, she was absolutely right to do so. But basically it looks like regardless of costs being incorrect, the Library is moving! You do have to question what public opinion actually means to the council! Why ask for peoples opinions only to ignore them? They did this with the bins and the skip at Porth Eirias, the public chose the castle design and the council ignored it completely and we got the carbuncle that is there now! The Llandudno Library is a lovely warm, friendly well run place, and the community love it, however it will be now moved to a soulless carbuncle out of the town. Locals will now boycott it, and so will we, sad that our councillors fail to back us, except for Cllr Emery. A council cabinet unanimously voted in favour of closing Llandudno's Mostyn Street library today, in a move that will see the service relocated to Venue Cymru.
The vote was taken after several cabinet members responded angrily to Cllr Louise Emery's revelation at last week's scrutiny committee that figures representing savings - used to support the library move - were incorrect. Conwy will now look to close Llandudno library in the next two years and target £10 million of UK Government funds to pay for a revamped Venue Cymru, branded as an arts centre. The decision comes despite a public consultation revealing 76% of 999 residents worried about access to the new library location, as well as a petition against the move being signed by around 1,100 people.
Last week Cllr Louise Emery told a scrutiny committee that a £46,000 saving, listed as an electricity bill, was incorrect, as Conwy was only liable for 38% of that bill as other tenants are based in the Mostyn Street site.
The saving of £126,000 has now dropped to £116,000, with Conwy owed electricity payments for 2023, 2024, and 2025 But despite Cllr Emery only receiving the figures “hours” before last week’s economy and place scrutiny meeting, some cabinet members criticised her for the manner she delivered the news that the figures were incorrect.
Speaking in favour of the revamp, Conwy's Labour deputy leader, Cllr Emily Owen accused Cllr Emery, a Conservative, of “amateur dramatics”. Cllr Owen said she recognised the strength of feeling towards the library but added: "Whilst there is obviously genuine concern about relocating the library in Llandudno, it would be remiss of me not to point out that this is also being used for political purposes. I do find it a bit of a bizarre situation where we have Tory councillors from Llandudno that now don't want a £10m investment in their own town." She continued: "At scrutiny, Cllr Louise (Cllr Emery) did show her love for the arts and amateur dramatics by pulling out the paper copy of the utility bill for the current library. I am disappointed in the way that was handled and how she treated our finance officer during that meeting and worry that she's withheld information about us being owed money so that we can perform in the chamber."
"But despite how it was handled, she did raise a valid point about the utility bills, and after some investigations, I can confirm she was correct in stating that Conwy Council is only responsible for 38% of that energy cost incurred." Councillor Chris Cater said: "This is a modern building which will have a reduced environmental impact and reduce carbon (use). So that is all to be welcomed. So I do support this. I have had letters from constituents against the move, but I don't think they understand fully that there is more to it than just moving the library out of the old building on Mostyn Street.”
Cllr Nigel Smith added: “I was really dismayed on Wednesday. Local members criticised this gift, this improvement, this new library for Llandudno, and the possibility of one, which will be involved in a current bid of £10m or maybe even more to help support an improve one of our biggest assets in the county, the Venue Cymru.”
Cllr Smith then waded in on Cllr Emery for questioning the utility bills at the previous meeting and “trying to embarrass” Conwy’s head of finance Ms Amanda Hughes.
“I felt sorry for Amanda (Ms Hughes, head of finance), the fact they were keeping information back and trying to embarrass our head of finance. It is not on,” he said. Cllr Julie Fallon said it was a “tough one” as she “completely understood the strength of feeling” in the town towards the library as it had been there a very long time and held a “special place in her heart”. But she added the council had faced “cuts after cuts” for years and were trying to make services sustainable, appropriate, and accessible, describing the current library building as beautiful but not fit for purpose.
Conservative leader Cllr Cheryl Carlisle stepped in to defend Cllr Louise Emery, who was away on council business representing Llandudno. She said: “Cllr Louise is currently travelling back from representing Llandudno in town twinning so isn't able to speak today. I do resent Cllr Emily's (Cllr Owen) accusation that it is political. Surely, she realises that these are Llandudno councillors standing up for their high street and their residents. I don't see what is wrong with that. That is democracy, surely.
“That is what we are all here for. To represent our people. And also to accuse Cllr Louise (Emery) of being theatrical, that is also beneath the deputy leader (Cllr Owen). The financial information that Cllr Louise requested was only produced a few hours before the meeting, so she had no time to meet with officers or cabinet members. And what a good job she did challenge the figures and the financial information!” Leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, though, said Conwy had been forced to make £26m of savings over the last three years, adding this was not a difficult decision when proposing cabinet backed the report.
This was seconded by Cllr Cathy Augustine, and the cabinet voted unanimously in favour of the move. But Cllr David Carr said: “Local people in Llandudno want the library to stay where it is. Maybe you should have listened to them.” From.....https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llandudno-library-closure-vote-unanimous-32020526?int_source=nba
The councillors don't give a toss about what locals want, but they were quick enough to snap up their pay increases.
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