Work has begun on the construction of a new library for Caerphilly town.
The building, on the site of the former Post Office, will offer a wide range of resources for people of all ages including books, DVDs, CDs, games as well as community space, Internet access and reference materials.
It will also include a council customer service centre where residents can access a wide range of council services under one roof.
The council will buy the building outright from the developer and work should be completed by December 2013 with a view to open the library by February 2014.
Caerphilly County Borough Council leader Harry Andrews and education cabinet member Rhianon Passmore joined David Bevan, representing the developer, and representatives from contractors Carter Lauren at the site recently.
Cllr Passmore said: “Membership at our county borough’s libraries remains as popular as ever and as we continue to invest in these important community facilities, I am confident that this exciting development will be a wonderful asset for the whole Caerphilly community.
“With a whole host of services set to sit alongside traditional book lending at the library, it promises to offer a more pleasant environment for our resident to read, learn and relax in. I greatly look forward to seeing the project come to fruition over the coming months.”
Nigel Hanney of Carter Lauren added: “We are delighted to have commenced construction on this wonderful and exciting facility for the Caerphilly community, adding to our recently completed library in Bargoed, completed to much acclaim and appreciation by all.”
Article was amended on December 7, 2012, to remove the incorrect statement that the council would be taking a 35 year lease on the building – please see comments below.
so will Labour now take credit for the Plaid scheme?.
Ron James writes "Will Labour take credit for the Plaid scheme" to which I say "Who cares?" The most important thing is that we get a library, the next most important thing is whether it affordable long term. I think it is a mistake to lease a library building, these buildings should be wholly owned by the council.
My preference would have been a new bulding at the library's current site, Morgan Jones park. I am pleased that we are getting a library, the town had outgrown the old one, but only hope that this contract has been carefully examined for long-term viability. I have been a member of the library for nearly 45 years and would hate to see Caerffili losing a library facility.
Whoever takes credit for this new facility in Caerphilly, Plaid or Labour, they will also take responsibility for 35 years of debt, the citizens of Caerphilly Borough will never own the building, but will be saddled with a Blairite PFI millstone around the necks of ratepayers in Caerphilly for that, full, 25 years, even if technology predicts that libraries and books will very quickly become redundant there will be no way to offload what may become a very very expensive white elephant.
Lets see which party takes credit for it first, they all appear to be very quiet at the moment.
I think the editor may have got it wrong. The library/heritage development was not on a lease and was an outright purchase with the developer commissioned to complete the fit out as well as building, this option was preferred as it was the most cost effective option and was implemented whilst Plaid held control of the borough.
Gratitude to Plaid Cymru Councillor James Fussell for correcting this report.
And it certainly appears that the former Plaid Cymru administration got the decision on how to fund this development right. It would certainly be a travesty if Labour had in fact done what this reported article states and lumbered the ratepayers with a millstone of 35 years of debt.
Thanks Cllr Fussell. The original statement that the council would take out a 35 year lease was based on a cabinet report dated December 13, 2011. Councillors approved this recommendation, but then changed their mind at a meeting on March 6, 2012.
The reasons for that decision are contained in a report exempt from publication.
http://212.219.240.82/stellent/groups/public/docu… http://212.219.240.82/stellent/groups/public/docu…
Why on earth would the Caerphilly council want to consider a report and make a decision on this very important issue for our town, in camera, in secret, and then to ` exempt`, and prevent, the ratepayers knowing what they have done???.
This is real democracy at work in the Borough (Sic). At least that position has now been clarified by St Martins Ward Councillor James Fussell.
I am very pleased that the new library will not, it appears, be leased by the council; and thanks to Cllr. Fussel for elucidating the council's position.
I am uncertain as to why this decision is deemed, by the council, to be exempt from the public domain. Still, if the people of the town get a new library free from future payment to a land owner it is good news.
But, is it really free from future debt for the ratepayer of the Borough????????? Who, knows??, it is a secret
Jeff, are you trying to tell us something, or just throwing mud ? Which ever, it is certainly strange that a secret report went before a Plaid council.