Library undergoing £400k refurb vandalised again and will not reopen until incidents stop

Rhymney Library has been the subject of further vandalism after reporting damage to its roof earlier this month – and will not reopen until the incidents stop. 

The library, which is undergoing a £400,000 refurbishment, reported damage to roof equipment in early August. 

An appeal for information followed and the incident was reported to the police. 

The library, originally set to reopen in the summer following its refurbishment, had already been delayed until September to ensure the “best service offer” for residents. 

Now, Caerphilly County Borough Council has confirmed that additional vandalism incidents have occurred and that the library will not reopen until the building is “safe for all”. 

A spokesperson for the council said: “Despite remedial building upgrades to strengthen the security, children are still climbing onto the roof and vandalising the property.  We will be adding further security measures to avoid more damage.

“All the incidents have been reported to the police with the current incident number updated each time.  The police attended as recently as Thursday, August 10 where children had climbed onto the roof during the daytime.

“We urge any members of the public to please contact Gwent Police by ringing 999 and report if they see anyone on the roof – not only are individuals trespassing and damaging private property, but there is also a risk of injury to themselves. 

“We will seek legal advice to prosecute.”

The spokesperson added: “We will not be reopening the library until we are confident the building is safe for all, and we will comment further on this in the coming weeks.”

Cllr Carol Andrews, cabinet member for cabinet member for education and communities, said: “It is so disappointing to see this mindless vandalism continuing to take place at a much-loved community building. 

“We are so near to reopening this fantastic resource to support everyone in the community, but unfortunately, we will not do so until the vandalism stops, and we ensure the building is safe to open. 

“A small handful of people are stopping this from happening. If you live near the library or are passing and you see children or adults on the roof, please contact the Police.”

This comes along with a recent spate of antisocial behaviour in Rhymney, which prompted a dispersal order over the weekend of August 11 to 13.